City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 2.9% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $102,900 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Raleigh, NC ($110,865 → $111,147), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,922 in Raleigh | $97,161 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
59 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Cincinnati → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $64,453 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $77,983 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $93,468 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $111,147 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $131,342 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,170 | $58,462 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $132,770 | $129,000 (+6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $81,950 | $79,623 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $84,830 | $82,421 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.