City comparison
Denver, CO vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 9.0% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $109,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Denver, CO to Reading, PA ($118,675 → $117,284), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,755 in Reading | $108,986 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
97 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Reading, PA | Real change, Denver → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,013 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,289 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $98,630 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,284 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $138,595 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $79,860 | $87,036 (+13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $120,920 | $131,786 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $75,550 | $82,339 (−17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $98,470 | $107,319 (+6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.