City comparison
Boston, MA vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 11.0% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $111,000 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Boston, MA to Durham, NC ($120,548 → $111,147), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,122 in Durham | $110,960 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
100 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Durham, NC | Real change, Boston → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,453 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,983 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,468 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,147 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,342 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $51,400 | $57,033 (−41.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $135,620 | $150,484 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $85,090 | $94,416 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.