City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 17.2% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $117,200 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Greensboro, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Greensboro, NC to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +17.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,157 in Santa Maria | $85,355 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Greensboro → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $101,030 | $86,235 (+44.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $158,290 | $135,109 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $91,610 | $78,194 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $137,360 | $117,244 (+41.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.