City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 4.0% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $104,000 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Wilmington, NC ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,136 in Wilmington | $104,020 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
81 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Detroit → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $48,240 | $50,179 (−23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $123,730 | $128,704 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $77,920 | $81,052 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $80,970 | $84,225 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.