City comparison
Merced, CA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 6.2% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $106,200 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Merced, CA to Waco, TX ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.1% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- 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
| Merced, CA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,175 in Waco | $106,186 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
88 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Waco, TX | Real change, Merced → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −15.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −15.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −15.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −15.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −15.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | $59,100 | $62,756 (−37.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $123,080 | $130,694 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $76,140 | $80,850 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $92,890 | $98,636 (−25.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.