City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 8.4% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $108,400 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 $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Boulder, CO to Reading, PA ($118,675 → $117,284), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,261 in Reading | $108,389 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
95 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Reading, PA | Real change, Boulder → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,013 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,289 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $98,630 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,284 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $138,595 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $79,860 | $86,559 (+7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $120,920 | $131,064 (−20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $75,550 | $81,888 (−18.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $98,470 | $106,730 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.