City comparison
Durham, NC vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 11.6% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $111,600 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,050 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.6% moving from Durham, NC to Washington, DC ($111,147 → $121,785), while prices change by +11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,593 in Washington | $89,611 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,050/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,050/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Washington, DC | Real change, Durham → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $70,623 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $85,447 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $102,415 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $121,785 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $143,913 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $79,470 | $71,214 (+38.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $154,930 | $138,834 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $102,140 | $91,529 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $102,710 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.