City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 2.7% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $102,700 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $995 a month in St. Louis, MO and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Waco, TX ($109,137 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,331 in Waco | $102,742 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
77 Strong offer
Waco, TX → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Waco, TX | Real change, St. Louis → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Waco, TX | Waco pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $59,100 | $60,721 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $123,080 | $126,455 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $76,140 | $78,228 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $92,890 | $95,437 (+14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.