City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Crestview, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Crestview, FL are 3.3% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $103,300 in Crestview, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Crestview, FL ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Crestview, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,309 in Crestview | $96,797 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $47,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Crestview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 94.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Crestview, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
59 Fair offer
Crestview, FL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Crestview, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Crestview, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Crestview, FL | Real change, Cleveland → Crestview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Crestview, FL | Crestview pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $60,330 | $58,398 (−23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $130,640 | $126,455 (+13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,510 | $76,963 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $81,260 | $78,657 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.