City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 8.7% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $108,700 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Winston, NC ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,990 in Winston | $108,708 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
96 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Winston, NC | Real change, Atlanta → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $56,510 | $61,431 (−19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $124,130 | $134,939 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $78,950 | $85,825 (+0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $86,120 | $93,619 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.