City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 15.1% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $115,100 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,589 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Wilmington, NC ($111,119 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
- 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
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,897 in Wilmington | $115,079 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,589/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $61,722 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $74,678 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $89,508 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $106,437 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $125,776 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $48,240 | $55,514 (−24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $123,730 | $142,387 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $77,920 | $89,669 (+19.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $80,970 | $93,179 (−33.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.