City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 3.6% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $103,600 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Winston, NC ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,511 in Winston | $103,615 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
80 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Winston, NC | Real change, Cincinnati → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $56,510 | $58,553 (−9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $124,130 | $128,617 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $78,950 | $81,804 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $86,120 | $89,233 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.