City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.4% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $108,400 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Waco, TX ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Waco, TX: 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
| Detroit, MI | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,275 in Waco | $108,372 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
95 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Waco, TX | Real change, Detroit → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $59,100 | $64,048 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $123,080 | $133,384 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $76,140 | $82,514 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $92,890 | $100,666 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.