City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Brownsville, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 22.4% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $122,400 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Brownsville, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Brownsville, TX ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Brownsville, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 86.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,724 in Brownsville | $122,363 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $866/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $36,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Brownsville-Harlingen, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Brownsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 57.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 86.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
100 Strong offer
Brownsville, TX → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Brownsville, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Brownsville, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Brownsville, TX | Real change, Boulder → Brownsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Brownsville, TX | Brownsville pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $63,350 | $77,517 (−3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $106,990 | $130,917 (−20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $66,440 | $81,298 (−18.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $81,090 | $99,225 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.