City comparison
Toledo, OH vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 5.4% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $105,400 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Toledo, OH.
- 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 Toledo, OH to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −5.2%, purely from prices.
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (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
| Toledo, OH | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,431 in Wilmington | $94,849 in Toledo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $820/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,220 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Toledo, OH MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Toledo, OH and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Toledo | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.3 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.3 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Toledo, OH → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
53 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
86 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Toledo, OH to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Toledo, OH | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Toledo → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Toledo, OH | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Toledo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $103,720 | $145,170 | $137,692 (+32.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,360 | $123,730 | $117,356 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,400 | $77,920 | $73,906 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,050 | $80,970 | $76,799 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.