City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 1.4% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $101,400 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Wilmington, NC ($109,137 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,403 in Wilmington | $98,616 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
64 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Wilmington, NC | Real change, St. Louis → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $48,240 | $47,573 (−21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $123,730 | $122,018 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $77,920 | $76,842 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $80,970 | $79,850 (−4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.