City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 5.8% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $105,800 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Greensboro, NC than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Greensboro, NC to Lancaster, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,806 in Lancaster | $94,512 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,220/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 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
52 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Greensboro → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $78,360 | $74,060 (+24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $104,740 | $98,992 (−20.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $76,110 | $71,933 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $89,620 | $84,702 (+2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.