City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 6.9% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $106,900 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 $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY 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 Jacksonville, FL to Louisville, KY changes real buying power by +6.9%, purely from prices.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jacksonville, FL | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,557 in Louisville | $106,887 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
90 Strong offer
Louisville, KY → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
49 Fair 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 Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Louisville, KY | Real change, Jacksonville → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $61,610 | $65,853 (+7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $110,270 | $117,864 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $76,320 | $81,576 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $84,850 | $90,694 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.