City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $108,900 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 $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.6% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Washington, DC ($107,228 → $121,785), while prices change by +8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,879 in Washington | $91,845 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/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 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
32 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Washington, DC | Real change, Palm Bay → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $70,623 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $85,447 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $102,415 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $121,785 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $143,913 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $79,470 | $72,990 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $154,930 | $142,296 (+8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $102,140 | $93,811 (+23.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $102,710 | $94,334 (+16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.