City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 5.3% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $105,300 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,172 in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Ocala, FL ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,951 in Ocala | $105,317 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
85 Strong offer
Ocala, FL → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Ocala, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Ocala, FL | Real change, Detroit → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $57,540 | $60,600 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $112,780 | $118,777 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $74,370 | $78,325 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $79,230 | $83,443 (−14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.