City comparison
Tuscaloosa, AL vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 5.5% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $105,500 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $972 a month in Tuscaloosa, AL and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Tuscaloosa, AL to Waco, TX ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (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
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,504 in Waco | $94,783 in Tuscaloosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $972/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tuscaloosa, AL and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tuscaloosa | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 87.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tuscaloosa, AL → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
52 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tuscaloosa, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Tuscaloosa, AL to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Waco, TX | Real change, Tuscaloosa → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Tuscaloosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,220 | $59,100 | $56,017 (−7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,870 | $123,080 | $116,659 (+11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,690 | $76,140 | $72,168 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,250 | $92,890 | $88,044 (+17.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.