City comparison
Durham, NC vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 2.7% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $102,700 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 20% in Greeley, CO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,692 in CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Durham, NC to Greeley, CO ($111,147 → $118,675), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,669 in Greeley | $97,401 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
61 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Greeley, CO | Real change, Durham → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,819 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $83,265 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $99,800 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $118,675 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $140,239 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $60,160 | $58,596 (+14.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $129,480 | $126,114 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $87,240 | $84,972 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $96,300 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.