City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 15.3% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $115,300 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Waco, TX ($117,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,763 in Waco | $115,257 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Waco, TX | Real change, Sacramento → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $61,722 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $74,678 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $89,508 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $106,437 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $125,776 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $59,100 | $68,117 (−34.1%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $123,080 | $141,858 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $76,140 | $87,756 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $92,890 | $107,062 (−37.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.