City comparison
Springfield, MO vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 4.5% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $104,500 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $996 a month in Waco, TX versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, TX and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO 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 Springfield, MO to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −4.3%, purely from prices.
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much 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
| Springfield, MO | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,476 in Waco | $95,716 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $883/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,780 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Springfield, MO and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 65.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 85.8 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 88.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MO → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
55 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
83 Strong 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 Springfield, MO to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MO | Waco, TX | Real change, Springfield → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MO | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,380 | $59,100 | $56,568 (+14.6%) |
| Software Developers | $102,350 | $123,080 | $117,807 (+15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,020 | $76,140 | $72,878 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,370 | $92,890 | $88,910 (+12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.