City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 1.8% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $101,800 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Wilmington, NC ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pittsburgh, PA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,850 in Wilmington | $98,184 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
63 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Pittsburgh → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $48,240 | $47,364 (−38.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $123,730 | $121,483 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $77,920 | $76,505 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $80,970 | $79,500 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.