City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Louisville, KY (93.1) and Waco, TX (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Louisville, KY goes as far as $99,400 in Waco, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY 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 Louisville, KY to Waco, TX changes real buying power by +0.6%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (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
| Louisville, KY | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,437 in Waco | $100,566 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
71 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
67 Fair 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 Louisville, KY to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Waco, TX | Real change, Louisville → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $59,100 | $59,435 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $123,080 | $123,777 (+12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $76,140 | $76,571 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $92,890 | $93,416 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.