Jacksonville, FL vs. San Jose, CA
Median rent is $1,375 a month in Jacksonville, FL and $2,617 in San Jose, CA. Household income is $66,981 against $141,565. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.
A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.
What the gap means
Occupation wages in both metros
May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Metropolitan areas may differ from city boundaries.
| Occupation | Jacksonville, FL median | San Jose, CA median | vs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $213,110 | +63.5% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,470 | $44,570 | +56.6% |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $216,740 | +159.5% |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,360 | $44,220 | +28.7% |
| General and Operations Managers | $100,870 | $163,860 | +62.4% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,840 | $60,480 | +41.2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,630 | $41,920 | +14.4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $35,450 | $43,870 | +23.8% |
Metropolitan areas and cover every industry together, so the two columns may describe wider areas than the city limits used for rent and income.
Jacksonville, FL vs San Jose, CA: frequently asked questions
Is San Jose, CA more expensive than Jacksonville, FL?
Yes. Prices in San Jose, CA are about 13.8% higher than in Jacksonville, FL: a regional price level of 112.9 against 99.2, where the U.S. average is 100.
How much do I need to earn in San Jose, CA to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Jacksonville, FL?
About $113,800. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (99.2 in Jacksonville, FL, 112.9 in San Jose, CA) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.
Is rent cheaper in Jacksonville, FL or San Jose, CA?
The median gross rent is $1,375 a month in Jacksonville, FL and $2,617 in San Jose, CA, a difference of $1,242 a month or $14,904 a year.
Where are household incomes higher, Jacksonville, FL or San Jose, CA?
The median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $141,565 in San Jose, CA. Rent takes 24.6% of the median income in Jacksonville, FL and 22.2% in San Jose, CA.
What salary do I need to afford the median rent in San Jose, CA?
About $104,700 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $2,617 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $55,000 in Jacksonville, FL.
More comparisons with Jacksonville, FL
More comparisons with San Jose, CA
Definitions used on this page
- Salary needed for the median rent
- Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
- Price level
- BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
- Same standard of living
- A salary in Jacksonville, FL converted into San Jose, CA at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
- Buying power
- One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.
Sources
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- BEA — BEA Regional Price Parities 2023
Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.
Full detail for each city: Jacksonville, FL · San Jose, CA