City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Killeen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 9.2% higher than in Killeen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Killeen, TX would need about $109,200 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 $990 in Killeen, TX. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 15% in Killeen, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- 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 Killeen, TX changes real buying power by +9.2%, purely from prices.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- Killeen, TX: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jacksonville, FL | Killeen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,605 in Killeen | $109,165 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $46,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Killeen-Temple, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Killeen-Temple, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Killeen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Killeen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
97 Strong offer
Killeen, TX → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
43 Weak 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 Killeen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Killeen, TX | Real change, Jacksonville → Killeen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Killeen, TX | Killeen pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $63,120 | $68,905 (+12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $123,320 | $134,622 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $73,270 | $79,985 (+0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $93,440 | $102,004 (+22.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.