City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 2.0% higher than in Dallas, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Dallas, TX would need about $102,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,648 in Dallas, TX. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in Dallas, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from Boulder, CO to Dallas, TX ($118,675 → $115,711), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,992 in Dallas | $102,049 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Dallas, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
75 Strong offer
Dallas, TX → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Dallas, TX | Real change, Boulder → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $67,100 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $81,186 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $97,307 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $115,711 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $136,736 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $65,070 | $66,403 (−17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $133,290 | $136,021 (−17.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $82,620 | $84,313 (−15.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $101,420 | $103,498 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.