City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 5.1% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $105,100 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Gainesville, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Gainesville, FL to Winston, NC changes real buying power by +5.1%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,152 in Winston | $105,095 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
85 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Winston, NC | Real change, Gainesville → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $56,510 | $59,389 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $124,130 | $130,455 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $78,950 | $82,973 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $86,120 | $90,508 (+10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.