City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 12.2% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $112,200 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Ocala, FL ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bridgeport, CT | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,117 in Ocala | $112,212 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
Ocala, FL → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
25 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Ocala, FL | Real change, Bridgeport → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $123,180 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $112,780 | $126,553 (−22.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $74,370 | $83,452 (−18.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $79,230 | $88,906 (−15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.