City comparison
Albany, NY vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 8.2% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $108,200 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Winston, NC ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,444 in Winston | $108,173 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
94 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
45 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Winston, NC | Real change, Albany → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $103,890 | $129,980 | $140,604 (+35.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $124,130 | $134,276 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $78,950 | $85,403 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $86,120 | $93,159 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.