City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 4.1% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $104,100 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX and $1,028 in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in El Paso, TX.
- 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 El Paso, TX to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −3.9%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,053 in Scranton | $96,105 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
57 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
81 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 El Paso, TX to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Scranton, PA | Real change, El Paso → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $76,590 | $73,607 (+15.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $119,960 | $115,288 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $70,480 | $67,735 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $82,650 | $79,431 (−7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.