City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 6.8% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $106,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Raleigh, NC ($116,038 → $111,147), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,642 in Raleigh | $106,790 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
90 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
49 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Minneapolis → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $64,453 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $77,983 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $93,468 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $111,147 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $131,342 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $130,710 | $143,640 | $153,393 (+17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $132,770 | $141,785 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $81,950 | $87,515 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $84,830 | $90,590 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.