City comparison
Virginia Beach, VA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 5.8% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $105,800 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Virginia Beach, VA to Waco, TX ($108,019 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (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
| Virginia Beach, VA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,496 in Waco | $105,825 in Virginia Beach |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,512/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,430 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Virginia Beach | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.6 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Virginia Beach, VA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
87 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Virginia Beach, VA is in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Virginia Beach, VA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Virginia Beach, VA | Waco, TX | Real change, Virginia Beach → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,640 | $61,722 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,788 | $74,678 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,838 | $89,508 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,019 | $106,437 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,646 | $125,776 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Virginia Beach, VA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Virginia Beach dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,380 | $59,100 | $62,543 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,090 | $123,080 | $130,249 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,450 | $76,140 | $80,575 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,450 | $92,890 | $98,301 (+9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.