City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 2.0% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $102,000 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Winston, NC ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,998 in Winston | $102,043 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
75 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Winston, NC | Real change, Cleveland → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $56,510 | $57,664 (−24.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $124,130 | $126,665 (+13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $78,950 | $80,563 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $86,120 | $87,879 (+4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.