City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 3.2% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $103,200 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Raleigh, NC to St. Louis, MO ($111,147 → $109,137), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Raleigh, NC | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,873 in St. Louis | $103,228 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
79 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Raleigh → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $63,288 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $76,573 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $91,779 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $109,137 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $128,967 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $60,650 | $62,608 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $129,030 | $133,194 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $78,880 | $81,426 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $83,180 | $85,865 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.