City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Buffalo, NY (95.8) and Wilmington, NC (96.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Buffalo, NY goes as far as $100,600 in Wilmington, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Wilmington, NC ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,603 in Wilmington | $99,401 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
67 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
71 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Buffalo → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $116,290 | $145,170 | $144,300 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $123,730 | $122,988 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $77,920 | $77,453 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $80,970 | $80,485 (−18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.