City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 3.2% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $103,200 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO and $1,237 in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Greeley, CO to Reading, PA ($118,675 → $117,284), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Greeley, CO | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,889 in Reading | $103,210 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/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 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
79 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, 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 Greeley, CO to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Reading, PA | Real change, Greeley → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,013 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,289 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $98,630 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,284 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $138,595 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $79,860 | $82,424 (+37.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $120,920 | $124,802 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $75,550 | $77,975 (−10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $98,470 | $101,631 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.