City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 3.6% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $103,600 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,382 a year in KY and $3,481 in 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 Louisville, KY to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −3.5%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| Louisville, KY | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,597 in Wilmington | $96,528 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$99/yr.
58 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$99/yr.
80 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 Louisville, KY to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Louisville → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $48,240 | $46,565 (−24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $123,730 | $119,434 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $77,920 | $75,214 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $80,970 | $78,159 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.