City comparison
College Station, TX vs Crestview, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Crestview, FL are 6.7% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $106,700 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 $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 16% in College Station, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in 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 College Station, TX to Crestview, FL changes real buying power by −6.3%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much 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
| College Station, TX | Crestview, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,685 in Crestview | $93,734 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $47,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Crestview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 94.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Crestview, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
Crestview, FL → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
90 Strong 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 College Station, TX to Crestview, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Crestview, FL | Real change, College Station → Crestview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Crestview, FL | Crestview pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $60,330 | $56,550 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $130,640 | $122,454 (+20.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $79,510 | $74,528 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $81,260 | $76,168 (−8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.