City comparison
Durham, NC vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 4.3% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $104,300 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Scranton, PA ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,884 in Scranton | $104,293 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
82 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Scranton, PA | Real change, Durham → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $76,590 | $79,878 (+55.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $119,960 | $125,109 (−7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $70,480 | $73,505 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $82,650 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.