City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 2.3% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $102,300 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Waco, TX ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,760 in Waco | $102,292 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
76 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Waco, TX | Real change, Pittsburgh → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $59,100 | $60,454 (−21.0%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $123,080 | $125,901 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $76,140 | $77,885 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $92,890 | $95,019 (+15.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.