City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 2.2% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $102,200 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Richmond, VA ($107,228 → $111,183), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Palm Bay, FL | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,853 in Richmond | $102,194 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
76 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Richmond, VA | Real change, Palm Bay → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $64,475 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $78,009 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $93,499 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $111,183 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $131,385 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $61,290 | $62,635 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $132,120 | $135,019 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $84,220 | $86,068 (+13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $93,580 | $95,633 (+18.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.