City comparison
Durham, NC vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Durham, NC (97.6) and Pensacola, FL (97.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Durham, NC goes as far as $100,100 in Pensacola, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,257 in Pensacola, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 19% in Pensacola, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Pensacola, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Pensacola, FL ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,149 in Pensacola | $99,852 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,257/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Pensacola, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
68 Fair offer
Pensacola, FL → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Pensacola, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Durham → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $50,360 | $50,285 (−2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $108,430 | $108,269 (−20.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $76,410 | $76,297 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $77,890 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.