City comparison
Austin, TX vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 2.2% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $102,200 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 $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in York, PA than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.3% moving from Austin, TX to York, PA ($109,428 → $121,785), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.7% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,893 in York | $102,152 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
75 Strong offer
York, PA → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | York, PA | Real change, Austin → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $70,623 | +13.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $85,447 | +13.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $102,415 | +13.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $121,785 | +13.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $143,913 | +13.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | York, PA | York pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $79,730 | $81,446 (+32.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $114,600 | $117,066 (−12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $75,160 | $76,778 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $96,210 | $98,281 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.