City comparison
Houston, TX vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 10.4% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $110,400 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,323 in Houston, TX. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 20% in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Houston, TX to Washington, DC ($122,749 → $121,785), while prices change by +10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.1% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Houston, TX | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,398 in Washington | $90,582 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
28 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Washington, DC | Real change, Houston → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $70,623 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $85,447 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $102,415 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $121,785 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $143,913 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $79,470 | $71,985 (+11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $154,930 | $140,338 (+8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $102,140 | $92,520 (+8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $102,710 | $93,036 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.