City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Raleigh, NC (98.2) and Richmond, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Raleigh, NC goes as far as $99,700 in Richmond, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.0% moving from Raleigh, NC to Richmond, VA ($111,147 → $111,183), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Raleigh, NC | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,695 in Richmond | $100,306 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
70 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
67 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Richmond, VA | Real change, Raleigh → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,475 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $78,009 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,499 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,183 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,385 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $143,640 | $126,230 | $126,616 (−11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $132,120 | $132,524 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $84,220 | $84,477 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $93,580 | $93,866 (+10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.