City comparison
McAllen, TX vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 7.7% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $107,700 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $996 a month in Waco, TX versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, 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 McAllen, TX to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −7.2%, purely from prices.
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (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
| McAllen, TX | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 85.9 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,748 in Waco | $92,809 in McAllen |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $847/mo | $996/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 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $35,830 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | McAllen | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 55.9 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 85.9 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
McAllen, TX → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
46 Fair offer
Waco, TX → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
93 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 McAllen, TX to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | McAllen, TX | Waco, TX | Real change, McAllen → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | McAllen, TX | Waco, TX | Waco pay in McAllen dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,110 | $59,100 | $54,850 (−13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,120 | $123,080 | $114,230 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,470 | $76,140 | $70,665 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,540 | $92,890 | $86,211 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.