City comparison
Boston, MA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 10.3% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $110,300 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 $1,596 in Raleigh, NC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 25% in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Boston, MA to Raleigh, NC ($120,548 → $111,147), while prices change by −9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,663 in Raleigh | $110,299 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,596/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% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $51,990 |
| 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
100 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
17 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Boston → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,453 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,983 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,468 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,147 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,342 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $60,170 | $66,367 (−32.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $132,770 | $146,444 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $81,950 | $90,390 (−9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $84,830 | $93,566 (−11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.