City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 7.6% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $107,600 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $996 a month in Waco, TX versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, TX and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- Both are in TX, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −7.1%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,648 in Waco | $92,896 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $996/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 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
47 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Waco, TX | Real change, Brownsville → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $59,100 | $54,901 (−13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $123,080 | $114,336 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $76,140 | $70,731 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $92,890 | $86,291 (+6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.