City comparison
Tulsa, OK vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 3.7% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $103,700 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $987 a month in Tulsa, OK and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa, OK to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −3.6%, purely from prices.
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (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
| Tulsa, OK | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,739 in Waco | $96,395 in Tulsa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $987/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tulsa, OK and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tulsa | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 73.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 89.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tulsa, OK → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
57 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
80 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 Tulsa, OK to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tulsa, OK | Waco, TX | Real change, Tulsa → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tulsa, OK | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Tulsa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,220 | $59,100 | $56,970 (+18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $108,730 | $123,080 | $118,644 (+9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,320 | $76,140 | $73,396 (−9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,790 | $92,890 | $89,542 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.