City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Greensboro, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 2.8% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $102,800 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,213 in Greensboro, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Greensboro, NC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Greensboro, NC ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Greensboro, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,272 in Greensboro | $102,804 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,213/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 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $46,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Greensboro-High Point, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Greensboro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 74.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
78 Strong offer
Greensboro, NC → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Greensboro, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Greensboro, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Greensboro, NC | Real change, Columbus → Greensboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Greensboro, NC | Greensboro pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $59,730 | $61,405 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $125,190 | $128,700 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,170 | $82,418 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $82,860 | $85,183 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.