City comparison
Sioux Falls, SD vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 2.1% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $102,100 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $986 a month in Sioux Falls, SD and $996 in Waco, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in SD and $0 in 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 Sioux Falls, SD to Waco, TX changes real buying power by −2.1%, purely from prices.
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (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
| Sioux Falls, SD | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,117 in Waco | $97,927 in Sioux Falls |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $986/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (SD) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,970 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Sioux Falls, SD-MN and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sioux Falls | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 95.5 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 80.7 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 91.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 90.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sioux Falls, SD → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
62 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
75 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 Sioux Falls, SD to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sioux Falls, SD | Waco, TX | Real change, Sioux Falls → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sioux Falls, SD | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Sioux Falls dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,040 | $59,100 | $57,875 (+15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,040 | $123,080 | $120,528 (+19.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $76,140 | $74,561 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,350 | $92,890 | $90,964 (+20.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.