Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Palm Beach County, FL would need to be about $36,315 in Holmes County, FL, or $13,685 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Palm Beach County, FL vs Holmes County, FL: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Holmes County, FL is cheaper than Palm Beach County, FL.
Moving to Holmes County, FL is estimated to save $16,507 per year.
Cheaper County
Holmes County, FLSave about $16,507 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Palm Beach County, FL is about $36,315 in Holmes County, FL.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $2,574 per year. Housing saves $9,936 per year.
Housing: $9,936 lower in Holmes County, FL
Taxes: $3,794 lower in Holmes County, FL
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $664 lower in Holmes County, FL
Food: $1,224 lower in Holmes County, FL
Transport: $2,574 higher in Holmes County, FL
Palm Beach County, FL→Holmes County, FL
Equivalent salary in Holmes County, FL
$36,315
-27.37% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Palm Beach County, FL: $99,093
Median Income in Holmes County, FL: $58,912
Living Index in Palm Beach County, FL 60.86%
Living Index in Holmes County, FL 74.35%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Palm Beach County, FL to Holmes County, FL.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Palm Beach County, FL to Holmes County, FL is estimated to save $16,507 per year. A $50,000 salary in Palm Beach County, FL would have similar purchasing power to about $36,315 in Holmes County, FL. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -27.37% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $9,936 per year lower (-50.52%); Taxes is $3,794 per year lower (-36.08%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Palm Beach County, FL and Holmes County, FL, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 60.9% of median family income in Palm Beach County, FL and 74.4% in Holmes County, FL. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $9,936 per year lower in Holmes County, FL than in Palm Beach County, FL. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Holmes County, FL changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $1,224 per year lower in Holmes County, FL than in Palm Beach County, FL. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Holmes County, FL can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $2,574 per year higher in Holmes County, FL than in Palm Beach County, FL. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Holmes County, FL.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $664 per year lower in Holmes County, FL than in Palm Beach County, FL. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Holmes County, FL changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,465 per year lower in Holmes County, FL than in Palm Beach County, FL. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Holmes County, FL help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Palm Beach County, FL and Holmes County, FL, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Holmes County, FL, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $3,794 per year lower in Holmes County, FL than in Palm Beach County, FL. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Holmes County, FL matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Holmes County, FL.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Holmes County, FL
Annual Increase:
$2,574 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Holmes County, FL.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Holmes County, FL
Annual Savings:
$9,936 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Holmes County, FL.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -51% lower | |
| Food | -25% lower | |
| Transport | 23% higher | |
| Healthcare | -11% lower | |
| Other Costs | -45% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -36% lower |
In Holmes County, FL, modeled annual costs are $43,802 compared with $60,309 in Palm Beach County, FL.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Holmes County, FL. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Holmes County, FL is not a metropolitan location, while Palm Beach County, FL is a metropolitan location.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
