City comparison
Durham, NC vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 7.4% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $107,400 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Durham, NC to Minneapolis, MN ($111,147 → $116,038), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,430 in Minneapolis | $93,084 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
47 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Durham → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $67,290 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $81,415 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $97,582 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $116,038 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $137,123 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $79,730 | $74,215 (+44.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $130,920 | $121,865 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $86,500 | $80,517 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $103,040 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.