City comparison
Durham, NC vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 9.1% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $109,100 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.6% moving from Durham, NC to Riverside, CA ($111,147 → $124,085), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,091 in Riverside | $91,667 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
37 Weak offer
Riverside, CA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Riverside, CA | Real change, Durham → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $71,957 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $87,061 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $104,349 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $124,085 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $146,632 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $98,520 | $90,310 (+75.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $133,270 | $122,164 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $83,920 | $76,927 (−9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $133,940 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.