City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 11.6% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $111,600 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Waco, TX ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- 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
| Phoenix, AZ | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,580 in Waco | $111,633 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Waco, TX | Real change, Phoenix → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $130,360 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $123,080 | $137,397 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $76,140 | $84,997 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $92,890 | $103,696 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.