City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Wilmington, 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 9.1% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $109,100 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 $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Wilmington, 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 −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Wilmington, NC ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,654 in Wilmington | $109,106 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,513/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 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
97 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
37 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Boulder → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $145,170 | $158,389 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $123,730 | $134,997 (−18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,920 | $85,015 (−15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $80,970 | $88,343 (−14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.