City comparison
Flint, MI vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Flint, MI (93.0) and Waco, TX (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Flint, MI goes as far as $99,500 in Waco, TX.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $996 a month in Waco, TX versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, TX and 14% in Flint, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Flint, MI than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Flint, MI to Waco, TX ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.9% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (cheaper)
- 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
| Flint, MI | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,480 in Waco | $100,523 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/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 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
70 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, 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 Flint, MI to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Waco, TX | Real change, Flint → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $59,100 | $59,409 (−9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $123,080 | $123,724 (+21.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $76,140 | $76,538 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $92,890 | $93,376 (−4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.