City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 3.0% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $103,000 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR and $1,323 in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Eugene, OR to Houston, TX ($106,437 → $122,749), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.8% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,106 in Houston | $102,980 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
78 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Houston, TX | Real change, Eugene → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,181 | +18.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $86,123 | +18.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $103,225 | +18.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $122,749 | +18.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $145,052 | +18.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $64,500 | $66,422 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $129,440 | $133,297 (+10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $85,090 | $87,626 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $99,830 | $102,805 (−9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.