City comparison
Toledo, OH vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 1.2% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $101,200 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, TX and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −1.2%, purely from prices.
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (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
| Toledo, OH | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,197 in Waco | $98,817 in Toledo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $820/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,220 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Toledo, OH MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Toledo, OH and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Toledo | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Toledo, OH → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
65 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
72 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 Toledo, OH to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Toledo, OH | Waco, TX | Real change, Toledo → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Toledo, OH | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Toledo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,250 | $59,100 | $58,401 (−7.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,360 | $123,080 | $121,624 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,400 | $76,140 | $75,239 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,050 | $92,890 | $91,791 (+13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.