City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 7.1% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $107,100 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD and $1,507 in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Durham, NC ($121,785 → $111,147), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,382 in Durham | $107,087 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
91 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Durham, NC | Real change, Baltimore → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $64,453 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $77,983 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $93,468 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $111,147 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $131,342 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $51,400 | $55,043 (−28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $135,620 | $145,231 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $85,090 | $91,120 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.