City comparison
Utica, NY 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 4.0% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $104,000 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Wilmington, NC.
- 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 Utica, NY to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −3.9%, purely from prices.
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (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
| Utica, NY | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,040 in Wilmington | $96,117 in Utica |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,970 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Utica-Rome, NY MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Utica-Rome, NY and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Utica | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 66.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 131.9 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Utica, NY → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
57 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
81 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 Utica, NY to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Utica, NY | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Utica → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Utica, NY | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Utica dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,280 | $145,170 | $139,533 (+42.0%) |
| Software Developers | $113,390 | $123,730 | $118,926 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,830 | $77,920 | $74,894 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,300 | $80,970 | $77,826 (−17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.