City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 7.9% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $107,900 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Lakeland, 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 Gulfport, MS to Lakeland, FL changes real buying power by −7.3%, purely from prices.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gulfport, MS | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,927 in Lakeland | $92,655 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
46 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
94 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 Gulfport, MS to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Gulfport → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $50,420 | $46,717 (−8.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $122,200 | $113,224 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $76,820 | $71,178 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $84,030 | $77,858 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.