City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.1% higher than in Kennewick, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Kennewick, WA would need about $105,100 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 $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Kennewick, WA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,130 in Kennewick | $105,119 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Kennewick, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
85 Strong offer
Kennewick, WA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Kennewick, WA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Boulder → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $100,380 | $105,518 (+30.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $127,800 | $134,342 (−18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $93,280 | $98,055 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $106,410 | $111,857 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.