City comparison
College Station, TX vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in College Station, TX are 2.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $102,300 in College Station, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in College Station, TX versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in College Station, TX and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in College Station, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from College Station, TX to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +2.3%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,796 in Wichita | $102,254 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
76 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → College Station, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Wichita, KS | Real change, College Station → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $58,640 | $59,962 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $105,980 | $108,369 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $79,270 | $81,057 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $76,540 | $78,265 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.