Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX vs. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Empirical side-by-side analysis of regional cost of living, HUD fair market rents, statutory tax burdens, and occupational compensation spread.
Featured Metro Comparisons
BLS median wage across all occupations, HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent, and state and local income tax on a $75,000 salary for a single filer, first metro over second.
| Comparison | Median Wage | 1BR Rent / mo | Tax on $75k | Median Buys More In |
|---|
Featured Occupation Comparisons
National BLS OEWS median wage and employment, first occupation over second.
| Comparison | National Median | BLS Jobs | Higher Median |
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How the comparisons are calculated
Metro comparisons use each area's BLS OEWS May 2025 median wage across all occupations, HUD's FY2027 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent, and the state and local income tax a single filer owes on $75,000 under 2026 rules. "Median buys more in" divides each median by the area's living-cost index from the EPI Family Budget Calculator; it reads "Not published" where BLS or EPI publishes no figure for the area.
Occupation comparisons use national BLS OEWS medians and job counts. Each comparison page goes further: the occupations both metros publish wages for, or each occupation's 10th to 90th percentile pay and the metros where both are published. Pick any two metros or occupations above to build your own comparison.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Executive Takeaway & Purchasing Power Verdict
The BLS median wage across all occupations is $56,950 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and $47,430 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, 16.7% lower in Waterloo. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,530 a month in Austin and $838 in Waterloo (45.2% lower in Waterloo). On a $75,000 salary a single filer pays no state and local income tax in Austin, versus $2,198 in Waterloo. EPI family budgets put overall living costs 28.2% lower in Waterloo, so $75,000 in Austin goes about as far as $53,840 in Waterloo. Adjusted for living costs, the median wage buys about 16.0% more in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA than in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX vs Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Shared Occupation Wages
Comparing empirical BLS median wages across common professions in both labor markets.
| Category / Role | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX Median | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Median | Advantage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief ExecutivesSOC 11-1011 | $288,150 | $199,010 | -30.9% | Dossier |
| Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 | $176,540 | $140,340 | -20.5% | Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersSOC 11-3021 | $176,990 | $132,210 | -25.3% | Dossier |
| Financial ManagerSOC 11-3031 | $167,180 | $125,690 | -24.8% | Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersSOC 11-2021 | $164,920 | $114,940 | -30.3% | Dossier |
| Sales ManagersSOC 11-2022 | $151,760 | $125,050 | -17.6% | Dossier |
| Physician AssistantSOC 29-1071 | $134,550 | $132,880 | -1.2% | Dossier |
| Human Resources ManagersSOC 11-3121 | $140,670 | $125,970 | -10.4% | Dossier |
| Nurse PractitionerSOC 29-1171 | $128,050 | $126,330 | -1.3% | Dossier |
| Software EngineerSOC 15-1252 | $134,120 | $113,970 | -15% | Dossier |
| Cybersecurity AnalystSOC 15-1212 | $134,100 | $106,350 | -20.7% | Dossier |
| Solutions ArchitectSOC 15-1299 | $129,470 | $107,660 | -16.8% | Dossier |
Head-to-Head Comparison Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX or Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is cheaper: its cost-of-living index (from EPI family budgets, U.S. = 100) is 90.1 versus 125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,530 a month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and $838 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.
How much do I need to earn in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA to match $75,000 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
About $53,840. That scales $75,000 by the ratio of the two metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, 90.1 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA); it does not account for differences in taxes.
Do jobs pay more in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX or Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The BLS median wage across all occupations is $56,950 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and $47,430 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. Pay for a specific occupation can differ; the table on this page compares BLS medians for occupations published in both metros.
How do income taxes compare between Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX has no state income tax; a single filer earning $75,000 pays $0 in state and local income tax there. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA has a top state rate of 3.8%; a single filer earning $75,000 pays $2,198 in state and local income tax there. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both.
Where does the median wage go further?
Dividing each metro's BLS median wage by its cost-of-living index, the median wage buys about 16.0% more in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA than in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX vs. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Reverse Comparison & Regional Hubs
Side-by-side wage, living expense, & tax arbitrage comparison for Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX vs. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. Empirical BLS earnings & HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX vs. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is cheaper: its cost-of-living index (from EPI family budgets, U.S. = 100) is 90.1 versus 125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,530 a month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and $838 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.
About $53,840. That scales $75,000 by the ratio of the two metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, 90.1 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA); it does not account for differences in taxes.