City comparison
College Station, TX vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 6.5% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $106,500 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,082 a month in College Station, TX and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in College Station, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from College Station, TX to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,536 in Tucson | $93,865 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
50 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
College Station, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Tucson, AZ | Real change, College Station → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $47,220 | $44,323 (−23.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $123,710 | $116,120 (+13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $76,320 | $71,637 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $94,110 | $88,336 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.