City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Gainesville, FL (96.7) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Gainesville, FL goes as far as $99,200 in York, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in York, PA than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Gainesville, FL to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.3% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,242 in York | $100,764 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,060/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
71 Strong offer
York, PA → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | York, PA | Real change, Gainesville → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | York, PA | York pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $79,730 | $80,339 (+42.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $114,600 | $115,475 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $75,160 | $75,734 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $96,210 | $96,945 (+18.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.