City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 1.1% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $101,100 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by +1.1%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (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
| Louisville, KY | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,892 in Winston | $101,120 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$99/yr.
72 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$99/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 Louisville, KY to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Winston, NC | Real change, Louisville → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $56,510 | $57,143 (−7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $124,130 | $125,520 (+13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $78,950 | $79,834 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $86,120 | $87,085 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.