City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 1.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $101,400 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $996 a month in Waco, TX versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Waco, TX and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Waco, 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 Peoria, IL to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −1.4%, purely from prices.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Peoria, IL | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,446 in Waco | $98,575 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
64 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Peoria, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
73 Strong 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 Peoria, IL to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Waco, TX | Real change, Peoria → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $59,100 | $58,258 (+1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $123,080 | $121,326 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $76,140 | $75,055 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $92,890 | $91,566 (+13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.