City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 12.1% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $112,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Lakeland, FL to Washington, DC ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lakeland, FL | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,089 in Washington | $89,215 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Lakeland, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lakeland, FL to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Washington, DC | Real change, Lakeland → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $100,470 | $148,950 | $132,886 (+32.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $154,930 | $138,221 (+13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $102,140 | $91,124 (+18.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $102,710 | $91,633 (+9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.