City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 8.3% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $108,300 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, FL and 15% in Waco, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.1% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Waco, TX ($113,356 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,339 in Waco | $108,296 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
95 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Waco, TX | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $59,100 | $64,003 (+19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $123,080 | $133,291 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $76,140 | $82,457 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $92,890 | $100,596 (+22.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.