City comparison
College Station, TX vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 5.0% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $105,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in College Station, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in College Station, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.3% moving from College Station, TX to Columbus, OH ($106,437 → $111,065), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,968 in Columbus | $95,268 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
54 Fair offer
Columbus, OH → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
College Station, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Columbus, OH | Real change, College Station → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,406 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,926 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,400 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,065 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,245 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $78,150 | $74,452 (+28.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $122,340 | $116,550 (+14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $81,700 | $77,834 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $83,900 | $79,929 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.