City comparison
Columbus, OH 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 Columbus, OH (95.5) and Wilmington, NC (96.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $101,000 in Wilmington, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington, NC ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,998 in Wilmington | $99,012 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,513/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% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
66 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
72 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Columbus → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $122,600 | $145,170 | $143,735 (+17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $123,730 | $122,507 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,920 | $77,150 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $80,970 | $80,170 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.