City comparison
Tucson, AZ vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 4.7% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $104,700 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Tucson, AZ to Waco, TX ($108,455 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (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
| Tucson, AZ | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,515 in Waco | $104,696 in Tucson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,081/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,760 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Tucson-Nogales, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Tucson, AZ MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tucson, AZ and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tucson | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 91.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tucson, AZ → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
83 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tucson, AZ is in the Tucson-Nogales, AZ pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Tucson, AZ to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tucson, AZ | Waco, TX | Real change, Tucson → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,893 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,095 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,205 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,455 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,162 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tucson, AZ | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Tucson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $47,220 | $59,100 | $61,875 (+31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,710 | $123,080 | $128,860 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $76,140 | $79,715 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,110 | $92,890 | $97,252 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.