City comparison
Durham, NC vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Durham, NC (97.6) and Raleigh, NC (98.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Durham, NC goes as far as $100,600 in Raleigh, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 24% in Durham, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $111,147 in either. A transfer from Durham, NC to Raleigh, NC changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,600 in Raleigh | $99,404 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Durham → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,453 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $77,983 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,468 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,147 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,342 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $60,170 | $59,811 (+16.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $132,770 | $131,979 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $81,950 | $81,462 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $84,830 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.