City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 7.8% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $107,800 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Durham, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Durham, NC ($118,675 → $111,147), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,747 in Durham | $107,820 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
93 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
41 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Durham, NC | Real change, Boulder → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,453 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,983 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,468 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,147 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,342 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $129,670 | $139,810 (−9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $135,620 | $146,225 (−11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $85,090 | $91,744 (−8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.