City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 5.7% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $105,700 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Greensboro, NC to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,699 in Raleigh | $94,609 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
87 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Greensboro, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Greensboro → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $103,960 | $143,640 | $135,896 (+30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $132,770 | $125,612 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $81,950 | $77,532 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $84,830 | $80,257 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.