City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 20.7% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $120,700 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Seattle, WA to Winston, NC ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −17.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.4% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
- 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
| Seattle, WA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,822 in Winston | $120,740 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Winston, NC | Real change, Seattle → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $56,510 | $68,230 (−33.7%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $124,130 | $149,875 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $78,950 | $95,324 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $86,120 | $103,982 (−18.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.