City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 4.6% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $104,600 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Wilmington, NC ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.3% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (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
| Bakersfield, CA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,575 in Wilmington | $104,630 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
83 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Bakersfield → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,900 | $48,240 | $50,473 (−36.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $123,730 | $129,458 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $77,920 | $81,527 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $80,970 | $84,719 (−34.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.