City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 8.6% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $108,600 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,534 in UT.
- 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 Greensboro, NC to Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by −7.9%, purely from prices.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,618 in Salt Lake City | $92,066 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$53/yr.
44 Weak offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$53/yr.
96 Strong 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 Greensboro, NC to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Greensboro → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $77,920 | $71,738 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $129,600 | $119,317 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $82,100 | $75,586 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $85,890 | $79,075 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.