City comparison
Ocala, 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 12.0% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $112,000 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 $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Ocala, FL to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (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
| Ocala, FL | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,008 in Sacramento | $89,279 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/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 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ocala, 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 Ocala, FL to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Ocala → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | not published | $133,570 | — |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $139,640 | $124,669 (+10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $92,110 | $82,235 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $171,460 | $153,078 (+93.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.