City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 3.4% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $103,400 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, 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 Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Lakeland, FL ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.4% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,426 in Lakeland | $96,687 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,230/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
58 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; 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; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Cleveland → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $50,420 | $48,750 (−36.2%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $122,200 | $118,152 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $76,820 | $74,275 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $84,030 | $81,246 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.