City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 1.1% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $101,100 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Winston, NC.
- 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 Spartanburg, SC to Winston, NC changes real buying power by −1.1%, purely from prices.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Spartanburg, SC | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,089 in Winston | $98,922 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
65 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
72 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 Spartanburg, SC to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | Winston, NC | Real change, Spartanburg → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $56,510 | $55,901 (−8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $124,130 | $122,792 (+7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $78,950 | $78,099 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $86,120 | $85,192 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.