City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 18.3% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $118,300 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Seattle, WA to Tallahassee, FL ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Seattle, WA | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,510 in Tallahassee | $118,329 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Seattle → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $55,020 | $65,104 (−36.7%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $121,800 | $144,124 (−13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $61,840 | $73,174 (−26.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $79,430 | $93,988 (−26.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.