City comparison
Houston, TX vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Houston, TX (98.6) and Provo, UT (98.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Houston, TX goes as far as $99,600 in Provo, UT.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,323 a month in Houston, TX and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.3% moving from Houston, TX to Provo, UT ($122,749 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.9% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Houston, TX | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,597 in Provo | $100,404 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
70 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Houston, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Provo, UT | Real change, Houston → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $61,722 | −12.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $74,678 | −12.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $89,508 | −12.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $106,437 | −12.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $125,776 | −12.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $62,930 | $63,184 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $131,210 | $131,740 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,700 | $76,006 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $81,780 | $82,111 (−17.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.