City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 6.4% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $106,400 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 $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 15% in Lubbock, 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 Lakeland, FL to Lubbock, TX changes real buying power by +6.4%, purely from prices.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,005 in Lubbock | $106,378 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/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 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Lubbock, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
89 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 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 Lakeland, FL to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Lakeland → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,420 | $59,220 | $62,997 (+24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $115,190 | $122,537 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $74,390 | $79,134 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $81,480 | $86,677 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.