City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 2.4% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $102,400 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Richmond, VA ($113,356 → $111,183), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,635 in Richmond | $102,422 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
76 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Richmond, VA | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $64,475 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $78,009 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $93,499 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $111,183 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $131,385 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $61,290 | $62,774 (+17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $132,120 | $135,320 (+5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $84,220 | $86,260 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $93,580 | $95,846 (+16.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.