City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 8.0% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $108,000 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Wilmington, NC ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,980 in Wilmington | $92,610 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
46 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
94 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Columbus → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −12.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −12.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −12.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −12.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −12.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,240 | $145,170 | $134,441 (+31.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $123,730 | $114,586 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $77,920 | $72,161 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $80,970 | $74,986 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.