City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Longview, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, GA (89.3) and Longview, TX (89.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, GA goes as far as $100,200 in Longview, TX.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,013 a month in Longview, TX versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Longview, TX and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Longview, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Longview, TX ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Longview, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 89.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,212 in Longview | $99,789 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $45,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Longview, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Longview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 66.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 83.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 89.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Longview, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
68 Fair offer
Longview, TX → Columbus, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Longview, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Longview, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Longview, TX | Real change, Columbus → Longview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Longview, TX | Longview pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $60,210 | $60,083 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $106,360 | $106,135 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $75,060 | $74,901 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $80,330 | $80,160 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.