City comparison
Longview, 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 4.5% higher than in Longview, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Longview, TX would need about $104,500 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,013 a month in Longview, 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 Longview, 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 Longview, TX to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −4.4%, purely from prices.
- Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (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
| Longview, TX | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,549 in Scranton | $95,649 in Longview |
| 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 | $45,150 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Longview, TX and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Longview | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 66.7 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 83.5 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Longview, TX → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
55 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Longview, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
83 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 Longview, TX to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Longview, TX | Scranton, PA | Real change, Longview → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Longview, TX | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Longview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $76,590 | $73,257 (+21.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,360 | $119,960 | $114,740 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,060 | $70,480 | $67,413 (−10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,330 | $82,650 | $79,054 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.