City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 3.2% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $103,200 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Tucson, AZ ($107,228 → $108,455), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Palm Bay, FL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,891 in Tucson | $103,209 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
79 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Palm Bay → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $62,893 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $76,095 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $91,205 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $108,455 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $128,162 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $47,220 | $48,735 (−22.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $123,710 | $127,679 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $76,320 | $78,769 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $94,110 | $97,130 (+20.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.