City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 4.1% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $104,100 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 15% in Waco, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in 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 Nashville, TN to Waco, TX changes real buying power by +4.1%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,068 in Waco | $104,093 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 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 Nashville, TN to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Waco, TX | Real change, Nashville → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $59,100 | $61,519 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $123,080 | $128,118 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $76,140 | $79,256 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $92,890 | $96,692 (+15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.