City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Killeen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 8.0% higher than in Killeen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Killeen, TX would need about $108,000 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $990 in Killeen, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Killeen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Killeen, 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 Boise City, ID to Killeen, TX changes real buying power by +8.0%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Killeen, TX: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Killeen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,622 in Killeen | $107,965 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Killeen-Temple, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Killeen-Temple, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Killeen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Killeen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
94 Strong offer
Killeen, TX → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
46 Fair 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 Boise City, ID to Killeen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Killeen, TX | Real change, Boise City → Killeen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Killeen, TX | Killeen pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $63,120 | $68,148 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $123,320 | $133,143 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $73,270 | $79,106 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $93,440 | $100,883 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.