City comparison
Lafayette, LA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 6.1% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $106,100 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $996 a month in Waco, TX versus $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, TX and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Lafayette, LA than in Waco, 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 Lafayette, LA to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −5.8%, purely from prices.
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much 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
| Lafayette, LA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,124 in Waco | $94,229 in Lafayette |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $41,780 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lafayette, LA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lafayette | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 87.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lafayette, LA → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
51 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
88 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Lafayette, LA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lafayette, LA | Waco, TX | Real change, Lafayette → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lafayette, LA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Lafayette dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $83,030 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $109,010 | $123,080 | $115,977 (+6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $67,630 | $76,140 | $71,746 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,960 | $92,890 | $87,529 (+6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.