City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 8.9% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $108,900 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, 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 Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.1% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Winston, NC ($113,356 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,834 in Winston | $108,893 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/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 | $46,490 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
97 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Winston, NC | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $56,510 | $61,535 (+14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $124,130 | $135,168 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $78,950 | $85,971 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $86,120 | $93,778 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.