City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lakeland, FL (97.1) and Reading, PA (97.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lakeland, FL goes as far as $99,900 in Reading, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL and $1,237 in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Reading, PA than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Lakeland, FL to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,917 in Reading | $100,083 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
69 Fair offer
Reading, PA → Lakeland, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lakeland, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Lakeland, FL to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Reading, PA | Real change, Lakeland → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,420 | $79,860 | $79,927 (+58.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $120,920 | $121,021 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $75,550 | $75,613 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $98,470 | $98,552 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.