City comparison
Durham, NC vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Durham, NC (97.6) and Madison, WI (97.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Durham, NC goes as far as $99,700 in Madison, WI.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,482 in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Madison, WI ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,708 in Madison | $100,293 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
70 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
68 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Madison, WI | Real change, Durham → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $129,670 | $104,110 | $104,415 (−19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $130,630 | $131,013 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $81,130 | $81,368 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $101,190 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.