City comparison
Madison, WI vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 13.3% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $113,300 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in McAllen, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Madison, WI to McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +13.3%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,290 in McAllen | $113,263 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
100 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | McAllen, TX | Real change, Madison → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $63,110 | $71,480 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $116,120 | $131,521 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $64,470 | $73,020 (−10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $80,540 | $91,222 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.