City comparison
Stockton, CA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 14.2% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $114,200 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Stockton, CA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Stockton, CA to Winston, NC ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.7% in real buying power.
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (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
| Stockton, CA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,586 in Winston | $114,174 in Stockton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,395/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Stockton | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 158.2 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Stockton, CA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Stockton, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Stockton, CA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Stockton, CA | Winston, NC | Real change, Stockton → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Stockton, CA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Stockton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,400 | $56,510 | $64,520 (−33.8%) |
| Software Developers | $138,550 | $124,130 | $141,724 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,570 | $78,950 | $90,140 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | $86,120 | $98,326 (−26.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.