City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Lubbock, TX are 6.3% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $106,300 in Lubbock, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $990 a month in Lubbock, TX versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lubbock, TX and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- Both are in TX, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Lubbock, TX to McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +6.3%, purely from prices.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lubbock, TX | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,062 in McAllen | $106,312 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
88 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Lubbock, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair 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 Lubbock, TX to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | McAllen, TX | Real change, Lubbock → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,480 | $78,200 | $83,136 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $116,120 | $123,450 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $64,470 | $68,540 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $80,540 | $85,624 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.