City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 9.8% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $109,800 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Lakeland, FL to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,809 in Sacramento | $91,067 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
34 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
99 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Lakeland, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Lakeland, FL to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Lakeland → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $100,470 | $133,570 | $121,638 (+21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $139,640 | $127,166 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $92,110 | $83,882 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $171,460 | $156,143 (+85.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.