City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 2.6% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $102,600 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL to Winston, NC changes real buying power by −2.6%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much 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
| Montgomery, AL | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,633 in Winston | $97,435 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Winston, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
61 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
77 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 Montgomery, AL to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Winston, NC | Real change, Montgomery → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $56,510 | $55,060 (−7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $124,130 | $120,946 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $78,950 | $76,925 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $86,120 | $83,911 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.