City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 6.2% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $106,200 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,220 a month in Lancaster, PA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lancaster, PA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Lancaster, PA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Lancaster, PA to Waco, TX ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- 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
| Lancaster, PA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,192 in Waco | $106,166 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
88 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Waco, TX | Real change, Lancaster → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $59,100 | $62,744 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $123,080 | $130,670 (+24.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $76,140 | $80,835 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $92,890 | $98,618 (+10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.