City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Omaha, NE (91.9) and Winston, NC (92.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Omaha, NE goes as far as $100,100 in Winston, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 17% in Winston, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,670 a year in NE and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Winston, NC ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,144 in Winston | $99,857 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
68 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Winston, NC | Real change, Omaha → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $56,510 | $56,429 (−10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $124,130 | $123,952 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $78,950 | $78,837 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $86,120 | $85,996 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.