City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 3.8% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $103,800 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by +3.8%, purely from prices.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,309 in Scranton | $103,832 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
81 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
57 Fair 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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Scranton, PA | Real change, Lakeland → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $100,470 | $100,210 | $104,050 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $119,960 | $124,557 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $70,480 | $73,181 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $82,650 | $85,817 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.