City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 9.7% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $109,700 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO versus $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greeley, CO and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Lubbock, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Greeley, CO to Lubbock, TX ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greeley, CO | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,157 in Lubbock | $109,701 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Lubbock, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
99 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Lubbock, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Greeley → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $59,220 | $64,965 (+8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $115,190 | $126,365 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $74,390 | $81,607 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $81,480 | $89,385 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.