City comparison
Winston, NC vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 4.3% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $104,300 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,082 a month in Winston, NC and $1,060 in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Winston, NC than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Winston, NC to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Winston, NC | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,299 in York | $95,878 in Winston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,380 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Winston-Salem, NC and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Winston | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.4 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Winston, NC → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
56 Fair offer
York, PA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
82 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Winston, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Winston, NC to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Winston, NC | York, PA | Real change, Winston → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Winston, NC | York, PA | York pay in Winston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $129,980 | $91,790 | $88,007 (−32.3%) |
| Software Developers | $124,130 | $114,600 | $109,876 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,950 | $75,160 | $72,062 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,120 | $96,210 | $92,244 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.