City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 6.9% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $106,900 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.0% moving from Dallas, TX to Wilmington, NC ($115,711 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Dallas, TX | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,532 in Wilmington | $106,915 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
90 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Dallas → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $48,240 | $51,576 (−20.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $123,730 | $132,286 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $77,920 | $83,309 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $80,970 | $86,569 (−14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.