Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Rutland

Vermont

$1,120/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,120 in Rutland, VT. Overall, Rutland, VT is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $55,000 in Rutland, VT — about 18% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Rutland, VT

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$893
+21% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$856
+25% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,097
+21% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,207
+22% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$176,400
+34% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$55,000
+18% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
48.5 yr
+12.1 yr in Rutland, VT
Homeownership
57.4%
52.7%
+4.7 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
32.2%
+0.4 pp in Rutland, VT
Avg Commute
24.1 min
14.7 min
+9.4 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
487.8
+13% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,600.1
3,973.3
+53% in Rutland, VT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
44.6°F
+25.6°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
40.5 in
+8.7 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.83/gal
$3.94/gal
+3% in Rutland, VT

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — JTA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
24.4
+62% in Rutland, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$26.07
+10% in Rutland, VT

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Rutland, VT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Rutland, VT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Jacksonville, FL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Rutland, VT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Rutland, VT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Rutland, VT

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / VT)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
8.75%
+8.8 pp in VT

Jacksonville vs Rutland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Rutland?
Rutland, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Rutland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $34,000 in Rutland.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Rutland?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).