City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 1.2% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $101,200 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Clarksville, TN.
- 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 Clarksville, TN to Winston, NC changes real buying power by −1.2%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,205 in Winston | $98,809 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
65 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Clarksville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
73 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 Clarksville, TN to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Winston, NC | Real change, Clarksville → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $116,940 | $129,980 | $128,432 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $124,130 | $122,652 (+26.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $78,950 | $78,010 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $86,120 | $85,095 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.