City comparison
College Station, TX vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 1.8% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $101,800 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 16% in College Station, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in College Station, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from College Station, TX to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,750 in Kansas City | $98,280 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
63 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → College Station, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
College Station, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Kansas City, MO | Real change, College Station → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $61,060 | $60,010 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $124,990 | $122,840 (+20.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $80,040 | $78,663 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $83,040 | $81,611 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.