City comparison
Beaumont, TX vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 7.1% higher than in Beaumont, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Beaumont, TX would need about $107,100 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $898 in Beaumont, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 14% in Beaumont, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Beaumont, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Beaumont, TX to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −6.6%, purely from prices.
- Beaumont, TX: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Beaumont, TX | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,081 in Wilmington | $93,387 in Beaumont |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,630 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Beaumont | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.9 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 83.1 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Beaumont, TX → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
48 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Beaumont, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
91 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Beaumont, TX to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Beaumont, TX | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Beaumont → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Beaumont, TX | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Beaumont dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,140 | $145,170 | $135,570 (+28.9%) |
| Software Developers | $124,470 | $123,730 | $115,548 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,920 | $72,767 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,180 | $80,970 | $75,616 (−6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.