City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 2.9% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $102,900 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Winston, 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 Winston, NC ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,224 in Winston | $102,855 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
78 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Winston, NC | Real change, Pittsburgh → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $56,510 | $58,123 (−24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $124,130 | $127,674 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $78,950 | $81,204 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $86,120 | $88,579 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.