City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 10.4% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $110,400 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Waco, TX ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.8% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,595 in Waco | $110,381 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Waco, TX | Real change, Fresno → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $59,100 | $65,235 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $123,080 | $135,857 (+5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $76,140 | $84,044 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $92,890 | $102,533 (−18.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.