City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 1.8% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $101,800 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $779 a year higher in Harrisburg, PA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Tucson, AZ ($108,592 → $108,455), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Harrisburg, PA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,222 in Tucson | $101,810 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$779/yr.
74 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Harrisburg, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$779/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Harrisburg → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $62,893 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $76,095 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $91,205 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $108,455 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $128,162 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $47,220 | $48,075 (−37.7%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $123,710 | $125,949 (+15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $76,320 | $77,702 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $94,110 | $95,814 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.