City comparison
Durham, NC vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 13.9% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $113,900 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.6% moving from Durham, NC to Seattle, WA ($111,147 → $119,630), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,898 in Seattle | $87,798 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Seattle, WA | Real change, Durham → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,373 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $83,935 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,602 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $119,630 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $141,367 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $102,920 | $90,361 (+75.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $167,280 | $146,868 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $99,370 | $87,244 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $128,260 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.