City comparison
Wilmington, NC vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 10.3% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $110,300 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Wilmington, NC to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.2% in real buying power.
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Wilmington, NC | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,637 in Youngstown | $110,330 in Wilmington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,513/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,800 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Wilmington, NC and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Wilmington | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 96.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Wilmington, NC → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Wilmington, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Wilmington, NC to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Wilmington, NC | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Wilmington → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +15.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Wilmington, NC | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Wilmington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,240 | $72,560 | $80,056 (+66.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $107,990 | $119,146 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,920 | $73,080 | $80,629 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,970 | $78,680 | $86,808 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.