City comparison
Waco, TX vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 3.7% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $103,700 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,060 a month in York, PA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in York, PA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in York, PA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Waco, TX to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Waco, TX | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,728 in York | $96,406 in Waco |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $996/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,020 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Waco, TX and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Waco | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 83.5 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Waco, TX → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
58 Fair offer
York, PA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Waco, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Waco, TX to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Waco, TX | York, PA | Real change, Waco → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Waco, TX | York, PA | York pay in Waco dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,100 | $79,730 | $76,865 (+30.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,080 | $114,600 | $110,482 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,140 | $75,160 | $72,459 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,890 | $96,210 | $92,752 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.