City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Port St. Lucie, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 5.2% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $105,200 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, FL and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Ocala, FL to Port St. Lucie, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ocala, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,244 in Port St. Lucie | $95,017 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/mo | $1,467/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $46,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Port St. Lucie, FL MSA. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Port St. Lucie, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 113.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 87.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
53 Fair offer
Port St. Lucie, FL → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ocala, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Port St. Lucie, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Ocala, FL to Port St. Lucie, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | Real change, Ocala → Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL | Port St. Lucie pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $53,610 | $50,939 (−11.5%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $128,510 | $122,107 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $79,430 | $75,472 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $82,090 | $78,000 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.