City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 2.3% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $102,300 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI and $1,257 in Pensacola, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Pensacola, 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Pensacola, FL changes real buying power by −2.2%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,272 in Pensacola | $97,778 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,257/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 | 20% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
62 Fair offer
Pensacola, FL → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
76 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Grand Rapids → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $50,360 | $49,241 (−20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $108,430 | $106,021 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $76,410 | $74,712 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $77,890 | $76,160 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.