City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 3.8% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $103,800 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Wilmington, NC ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Atlanta, GA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,366 in Wilmington | $103,771 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
81 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Atlanta → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $48,240 | $50,059 (−34.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $123,730 | $128,396 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $77,920 | $80,858 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $80,970 | $84,023 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.