City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Harrisburg, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 2.0% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $102,000 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Harrisburg, PA than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Gainesville, FL to Harrisburg, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Harrisburg, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 98.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,982 in Harrisburg | $98,057 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,212/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $49,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 96.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 108.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 98.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Harrisburg, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
63 Fair offer
Harrisburg, PA → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Harrisburg, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Harrisburg, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Harrisburg, PA | Real change, Gainesville → Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Harrisburg, PA | Harrisburg pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $77,160 | $75,661 (+34.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $109,470 | $107,343 (−12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $76,510 | $75,023 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $96,770 | $94,890 (+15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.