City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 6.1% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $106,100 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Waco, TX ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (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
| Raleigh, NC | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,288 in Waco | $106,058 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
88 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Waco, TX | Real change, Raleigh → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $59,100 | $62,680 (+4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $123,080 | $130,537 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $76,140 | $80,753 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $92,890 | $98,518 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.