Head-to-head
Florida vs Georgia
Florida's 2024 price level is 7.121 points above Georgia's (103.414 vs 96.293), and almost all of it is rent: Florida's rent parity is 33.413 points higher and its two-bedroom median $338 a month higher.
Updated
| Measure | Florida | Georgia | First − second |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-items price level | 103.414 | 96.293 | +7.121 points |
| Rent price level | 122.107 | 88.694 | +33.413 points |
| Home value | $359,000±$930 | $303,300±$1,171 | +$55,700 |
| Two-bedroom gross rent | $1,664±$7 | $1,326±$11 | +$338 |
| Household income | $74,568±$284 | $77,353±$407 | −$2,785 |
| Real estate taxes paid | $2,730±$10 | $2,341±$12 | +$389 |
$4,000 of monthly spending in Florida scales to $3,725 in Georgia at the 2024 all-items price ratio.
BEA 2024 and ACS 2020–2024; ± marks the Census 90% margin. How to read a gap
Florida vs Georgia: a rent gap, an income-tax gap
Outside housing the two states are close. Goods are actually slightly cheaper in Florida (98.059 against 98.929), utilities cheaper by 2.740 points, and other services dearer by 3.981. The rent parity, 122.107 against 88.694, is the line that matters. Florida renters spend 35.2% of income on gross rent, the highest share in the country, against 31.3% in Georgia.
Owners see a smaller gap. Owners see a smaller gap than renters: a mortgaged owner in Florida typically spends $176 a month more than one in Georgia and pays $389 more a year in property tax. Insurance and association fees are not in these tables; for a purchase, collect those terms alongside the anticipated assessment, because no statewide premium can describe one dwelling's contract.
Georgia taxes income and Florida does not. Georgia's flat 4.99% income tax for 2026 supplied 47.3% of its state collections, $1,436 per resident, while Florida relies on general sales for 62.9%. Georgia's 4% statewide sales tax is usually joined by county taxes, often 1% each, against Florida's 6% general state rate plus county surtaxes. Total collections were $3,040 per resident in Georgia and $2,709 in Florida.
Incomes cut the other way. Georgia households earn $2,785 more at the median, yet Florida comes out $4,179 ahead per person after prices.
The gap is widening: Florida rose from 100.604 in 2020 to 103.414, while Georgia rose from 94.478 to 96.293. A Florida resident working in Georgia faces Georgia's nonresident rules, set out below.
Price levels by category
| Measure | Florida | Georgia | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.414 | 96.293 | +7.121 |
| Goods | 98.059 | 98.929 | −0.870 |
| Housing (rents) | 122.107 | 88.694 | +33.413 |
| Utilities | 90.074 | 92.814 | −2.740 |
| Other services | 101.324 | 97.343 | +3.981 |
| Real income per person (2017 $) | $57,131 | $52,952 | +$4,179 |
Two state tax mixes, FY2025
Florida: $63.55 billion, $2,709 per resident. Georgia: $34.36 billion, $3,040 per resident.
| Tax | FL share | GA share | FL per resident | GA per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual income | not levied | 47.3% | — | $1,436 |
| General sales | 62.9% | 27.2% | $1,705 | $826 |
| Property | not levied | 2.6% | — | $78 |
| Motor fuel | 6.2% | 6.5% | $169 | $197 |
| Other selective sales | 11.1% | 4.6% | $301 | $139 |
| Corporate income | 9.2% | 9.5% | $248 | $288 |
| Licenses | 3.9% | 1.9% | $107 | $57 |
| Severance | 0.0% | not levied | $1 | — |
| Other taxes | 6.6% | 0.6% | $179 | $19 |
Taxes on wages and purchases
| Tax | Florida | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | no personal income tax | flat 4.99% for 2026 |
| State sales tax | 6% general state rate | 4% statewide plus county taxes, often 1% each |
Living in Florida, working in Georgia
Georgia taxes nonresidents who work in the state or receive Georgia-source income, such as wages, rents or income from flow-through entities, and who must file a federal return: they file Georgia Form 500 with Schedule 3. A legal resident of another state does not have to file if the only Georgia activity is work as an employee and that pay is no more than the lesser of 5% of total wages or $5,000. Florida levies no personal income tax, so there is no home-state credit to offset Georgia tax.
Sources, read : Georgia Department of Revenue: residency filing requirements.
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