City comparison
Pensacola, FL vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 6.8% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $106,800 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Toledo, OH than in Pensacola, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Pensacola, FL to Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +6.8%, purely from prices.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pensacola, FL | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,592 in Toledo | $106,847 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
90 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Pensacola, FL to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Toledo, OH | Real change, Pensacola → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $63,250 | $67,581 (+34.2%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $104,360 | $111,506 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $77,400 | $82,700 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $81,050 | $86,600 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.