City comparison
Sioux Falls, SD vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 6.4% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $106,400 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Sioux Falls, SD to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −6.0%, purely from prices.
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Sioux Falls, SD | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.6 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,390 in Wilmington | $93,994 in Sioux Falls |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $986/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (SD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,970 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Sioux Falls, SD-MN and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sioux Falls | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.6 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 95.5 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 80.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 91.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.6 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sioux Falls, SD → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
50 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Sioux Falls, SD to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sioux Falls, SD | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Sioux Falls → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sioux Falls, SD | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Sioux Falls dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,040 | $48,240 | $45,343 (−9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,040 | $123,730 | $116,299 (+15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $77,920 | $73,240 (−9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,350 | $80,970 | $76,107 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.