City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 2.4% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $102,400 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,017 a month in Oklahoma City, OK and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −2.3%, purely from prices.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (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
| Oklahoma City, OK | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,369 in Waco | $97,686 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
62 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
76 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Waco, TX | Real change, Oklahoma City → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $59,100 | $57,732 (+18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $123,080 | $120,231 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $76,140 | $74,378 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $92,890 | $90,740 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.