City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 2.5% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $102,500 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,513 in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Wilmington, NC ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.0% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,537 in Wilmington | $102,525 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
77 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Atlantic City → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $48,240 | $49,458 (−38.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $123,730 | $126,855 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $77,920 | $79,888 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $80,970 | $83,015 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.