City comparison
Austin, TX vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Austin, TX (98.1) and Merced, CA (98.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Austin, TX goes as far as $100,200 in Merced, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,213 in Merced, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 20% in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +21.6% moving from Austin, TX to Merced, CA ($109,428 → $133,060), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.3% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,213 in Merced | $99,787 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Merced, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
68 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Austin, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Merced, CA | Real change, Austin → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $77,161 | +21.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $93,358 | +21.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $111,896 | +21.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $133,060 | +21.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $157,236 | +21.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $100,120 | $99,907 (+63.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $132,120 | $131,839 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $80,420 | $80,249 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $131,620 | $131,340 (+34.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.