City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 8.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $108,300 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL 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 Lakeland, FL to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +8.3%, purely from prices.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,321 in Montgomery | $108,317 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
95 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
45 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Lakeland → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $100,470 | $113,270 | $122,691 (+22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $110,620 | $119,820 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $75,040 | $81,281 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $79,570 | $86,188 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.