City comparison
Toledo, OH vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Toledo, OH (91.5) and Winston, NC (92.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Toledo, OH goes as far as $100,600 in Winston, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Winston, 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (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
| Toledo, OH | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,643 in Winston | $99,361 in Toledo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $820/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,220 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Toledo, OH MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Toledo, OH and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Toledo | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.3 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.3 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Toledo, OH → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
67 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
71 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 Toledo, OH to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Toledo, OH | Winston, NC | Real change, Toledo → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Toledo, OH | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Toledo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,250 | $56,510 | $56,149 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,360 | $124,130 | $123,337 (+18.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,400 | $78,950 | $78,446 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,050 | $86,120 | $85,570 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.