City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 8.4% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $108,400 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Spokane, 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 −0.5% moving from Spokane, WA to Waco, TX ($106,991 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (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
| Spokane, WA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,231 in Waco | $108,424 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/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 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
95 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Waco, TX | Real change, Spokane → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $61,722 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $74,678 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $89,508 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $106,437 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $125,776 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $59,100 | $64,078 (−35.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $123,080 | $133,448 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $76,140 | $82,554 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $92,890 | $100,715 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.