City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs College Station, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 5.4% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $105,400 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 16% in College Station, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in College Station, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to College Station, TX ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | College Station, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 91.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,895 in College Station | $105,380 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $44,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and College Station-Bryan, TX MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and College Station-Bryan, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | College Station |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 75.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 91.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
86 Strong offer
College Station, TX → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; College Station, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to College Station, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | College Station, TX | Real change, Buffalo → College Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | College Station, TX | College Station pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $57,870 | $60,983 (−20.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $101,910 | $107,393 (−16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $71,810 | $75,673 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $83,090 | $87,560 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.