City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 8.4% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $108,400 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY than in Tampa, 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 Louisville, KY to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −7.7%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Louisville, KY | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,398 in Tampa | $92,253 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
43 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Louisville, KY to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Tampa, FL | Real change, Louisville → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $60,120 | $55,462 (−10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $130,450 | $120,344 (+9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $78,990 | $72,871 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $85,470 | $78,849 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.