Durham, NC vs Lakeland, FL
Simple answer
You'd likely save $137 a month in Lakeland.
This is the HUD 2-bedroom fair-market rent for October 2026 through September 2027. It is not your lease.
The largest cost gap in this pair is Fair Market Rent. The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gap is $137: Durham is higher at $1,745 versus $1,608.
North Carolina taxes wages at a flat 3.99%. Florida has no tax on wages. Combined sales tax differs by 0.0 percentage points, higher in North Carolina. The effective property tax gap is 0.14 percentage points, higher in Florida.
After a move from North Carolina to Florida, these benefit results change for a family of four at $40,000 and a single adult at $18,000: Marketplace premium tax credits, Medicaid and CHIP.
A $75,000 salary in Durham lines up with about $74,669 in Lakeland on the 2024 all-items price parity. Census median gross rent and the commute figures are 2024. Fair Market Rents are fiscal year 2027.
Durham
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $1,745
- HUD area
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- Census median gross rent
- $1,598
- All-items price parity
- 97.6
- Goods price parity
- 96.6
- Utilities price parity
- 89.3
- Mean commute
- 24.4 min
- Median household income
- $83,542
Lakeland
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $1,608
- HUD area
- Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA
- Census median gross rent
- $1,484
- All-items price parity
- 97.1
- Goods price parity
- 96.2
- Utilities price parity
- 86.9
- Mean commute
- 31.4 min
- Median household income
- $66,779
Equivalent salary
The first number keeps the same place in the national price level. The second also runs 2026 federal income tax, employee Social Security and Medicare, and a simplified state income tax. Groceries use the BEA goods price parity, not a grocery receipt.
$74,669
Salary in Lakeland that matches the 2024 all-items regional price parity.
$71,098
Gross salary in Lakeland whose after-tax pay buys the same basket, using price parities.
$69,112
Scales the salary by the ratio of HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents. Rent is not the whole budget.
Taxes on the two sides of the move
| Tax | North Carolina | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax on wages | 3.99% flat | No wage tax |
| Combined sales tax, Jan 1, 2026 | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| Effective property tax, ACS 2024 median / median | 0.61% | 0.75% |
On a $400,000 home, the state median effective rate implies about $2,455 a year in North Carolina and $3,016 in Florida. That illustration is not a local bill. Childcare prices are not in the verified dataset for these metros.
Benefits if you land in Florida
Same household, $40,000 a year, scored once in North Carolina and once in Florida. This is an illustration, not your application.
Food stamps (SNAP)
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
Medicaid and CHIP
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
WIC
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
School meals
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
LIHEAP
DurhamMaybe
LakelandMaybe
Earned Income Tax Credit
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
Child Tax Credit
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
Marketplace premium tax credits
DurhamUnlikely
LakelandLikely eligible
Lifeline phone and internet
DurhamLikely eligible
LakelandLikely eligible
SSI
DurhamUnlikely
LakelandUnlikely
| Program | Durham | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Food stamps (SNAP) | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Medicaid and CHIP | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| WIC | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| School meals | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| LIHEAP | Maybe | Maybe |
| Earned Income Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Child Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Marketplace premium tax credits | Unlikely | Likely eligible |
| Lifeline phone and internet | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| SSI | Unlikely | Unlikely |
Marketplace premium tax credits changes. In Durham the result is “Unlikely — Medicaid is the closer program.” In Lakeland it is “Likely inside the 2026 subsidy range.” North Carolina expanded Medicaid, and this income is in the Medicaid range. Marketplace subsidies are usually not the program in that case.
Related comparisons
From Durham
The eight largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gaps from Durham.
- Durham and San Francisco · rent gap $1,952
- Durham and San Jose · rent gap $1,527
- Durham and Boston · rent gap $1,263
- Durham and New York · rent gap $1,226
- Durham and Los Angeles · rent gap $1,219
- Durham and San Diego · rent gap $1,078
- Durham and Miami · rent gap $819
- Durham and Seattle · rent gap $804
Nearby metros
How the salary and tax math works · The reverse city order redirects to this address.