City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 20.1% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $120,100 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Seattle, WA to Waco, TX ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much 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
| Seattle, WA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,279 in Waco | $120,079 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Waco, TX | Real change, Seattle → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $59,100 | $70,967 (−31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $123,080 | $147,793 (−11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $76,140 | $91,428 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $92,890 | $111,541 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.