City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 16.6% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $116,600 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Olympia, WA to Wichita, KS ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Olympia, WA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,797 in Wichita | $116,554 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Olympia → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $58,640 | $68,347 (−34.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $105,980 | $123,524 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $79,270 | $92,392 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $76,540 | $89,210 (−28.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.