City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Jacksonville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 6.7% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $106,700 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Jacksonville, 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 Greenville, SC to Jacksonville, FL changes real buying power by −6.3%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Jacksonville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 99.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,674 in Jacksonville | $93,744 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $48,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Jacksonville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 109.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 99.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
49 Fair offer
Jacksonville, FL → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/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 Greenville, SC to Jacksonville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Jacksonville, FL | Real change, Greenville → Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Greenville, SC | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $61,080 | $57,259 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $130,330 | $122,176 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $79,960 | $74,957 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $83,520 | $78,295 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.