City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Jacksonville, FL (99.5) and Kennewick, WA (100.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Jacksonville, FL goes as far as $100,600 in Kennewick, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in WA.
- 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 Jacksonville, FL to Kennewick, WA changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jacksonville, FL | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,598 in Kennewick | $99,405 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Kennewick, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
67 Fair offer
Kennewick, WA → Jacksonville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 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 Jacksonville, FL to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Jacksonville → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $100,380 | $99,783 (+63.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $127,800 | $127,040 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $93,280 | $92,725 (+16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $106,410 | $105,777 (+26.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.