City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 8.7% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $108,700 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Winston, NC ($107,228 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,038 in Winston | $108,650 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
96 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Winston, NC | Real change, Palm Bay → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $61,722 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $74,678 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $89,508 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $106,437 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $125,776 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $56,510 | $61,398 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $124,130 | $134,868 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $78,950 | $85,779 (+13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $86,120 | $93,570 (+15.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.