City comparison
Austin, TX vs College Station, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 7.8% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $107,800 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 16% in College Station, TX.
- Both are in TX, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to College Station, TX ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | College Station, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 91.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,745 in College Station | $107,823 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $44,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and College Station-Bryan, TX MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and College Station-Bryan, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | College Station |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 75.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 91.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
93 Strong offer
College Station, TX → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; College Station, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to College Station, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | College Station, TX | Real change, Austin → College Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | College Station, TX | College Station pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $57,870 | $62,397 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $101,910 | $109,882 (−18.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $71,810 | $77,428 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $83,090 | $89,590 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.