City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 1.3% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $101,300 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Winston, NC.
- 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 Greenville, SC to Winston, NC changes real buying power by +1.3%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,695 in Winston | $101,322 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
73 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
65 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 Greenville, SC to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Winston, NC | Real change, Greenville → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $56,510 | $57,257 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $124,130 | $125,771 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $78,950 | $79,994 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $86,120 | $87,259 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.