City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 6.4% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $106,400 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,511 in Baltimore, MD. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 24% in Baltimore, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Raleigh, NC ($121,785 → $111,147), while prices change by −6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,942 in Raleigh | $106,449 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
88 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Baltimore → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,453 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,983 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,468 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,147 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,342 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $60,170 | $64,050 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $132,770 | $141,332 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $81,950 | $87,235 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $84,830 | $90,301 (−9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.