City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 1.1% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $101,100 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Waco, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Scranton, PA to Waco, TX changes real buying power by +1.1%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (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
| Scranton, PA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,925 in Waco | $101,087 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/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 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
72 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Scranton, PA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Waco, TX | Real change, Scranton → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $59,100 | $59,742 (−22.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $123,080 | $124,418 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $76,140 | $76,968 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $92,890 | $93,900 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.