City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 3.8% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $103,800 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Kennewick, WA.
- 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 Kennewick, WA to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by +3.8%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,346 in Wilmington | $103,793 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
81 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
57 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 Kennewick, WA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Kennewick → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $48,240 | $50,070 (−50.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $123,730 | $128,423 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $77,920 | $80,875 (−13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $80,970 | $84,041 (−21.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.