City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.5% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $101,500 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Waco, TX ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,538 in Waco | $101,484 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
73 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Waco, TX | Real change, Cleveland → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $59,100 | $59,977 (−21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $123,080 | $124,906 (+12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $76,140 | $77,270 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $92,890 | $94,268 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.