City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Crestview, FL (97.0) and Durham, NC (97.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Crestview, FL goes as far as $100,600 in Durham, NC.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL and $1,507 in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Crestview, FL to Durham, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- 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
| Crestview, FL | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,558 in Durham | $99,446 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
67 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Crestview, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
70 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Crestview, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Crestview, FL to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Durham, NC | Real change, Crestview → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $108,420 | $129,670 | $128,951 (+18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $135,620 | $134,868 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $85,090 | $84,618 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.