City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Scranton, PA (93.6) and Tallahassee, FL (93.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Scranton, PA goes as far as $100,400 in Tallahassee, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Tallahassee, 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 Scranton, PA to Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by −0.4%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Scranton, PA | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,388 in Tallahassee | $99,613 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
68 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
70 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 Scranton, PA to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Scranton → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $55,020 | $54,807 (−28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $121,800 | $121,329 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $61,840 | $61,601 (−12.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $79,430 | $79,123 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.