City comparison
Reading, PA vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reading, PA are 9.1% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $109,100 in Reading, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,237 a month in Reading, PA versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Reading, PA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Reading, PA to Wichita, KS ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| Reading, PA | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,640 in Wichita | $109,122 in Reading |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,237/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,440 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reading, PA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reading, PA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reading | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 85.4 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 108.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reading, PA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
97 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Reading, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reading, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reading, PA to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reading, PA | Wichita, KS | Real change, Reading → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reading, PA | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Reading dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,860 | $58,640 | $63,989 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $120,920 | $105,980 | $115,648 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,550 | $79,270 | $86,501 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,470 | $76,540 | $83,522 (−15.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.