City comparison
Tucson, AZ vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 5.3% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $105,300 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,190 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Tucson, AZ to Winston, NC ($108,455 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (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
| Tucson, AZ | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,992 in Winston | $105,273 in Tucson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,081/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,760 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Tucson-Nogales, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Tucson, AZ MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tucson, AZ and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tucson | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 91.8 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tucson, AZ → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,190/yr.
85 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,190/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tucson, AZ is in the Tucson-Nogales, AZ pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Tucson, AZ to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tucson, AZ | Winston, NC | Real change, Tucson → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,893 | $61,722 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,095 | $74,678 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,205 | $89,508 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,455 | $106,437 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,162 | $125,776 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tucson, AZ | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Tucson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $47,220 | $56,510 | $59,490 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,710 | $124,130 | $130,675 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $78,950 | $83,113 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,110 | $86,120 | $90,661 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.