City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 9.0% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $109,000 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Waco, TX ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,743 in Waco | $109,001 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
97 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Waco, TX | Real change, Ann Arbor → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $59,100 | $64,419 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $123,080 | $134,158 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,140 | $82,993 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $92,890 | $101,251 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.