City comparison
Durham, NC vs Longview, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 9.0% higher than in Longview, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Longview, TX would need about $109,000 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,013 in Longview, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 15% in Longview, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Longview, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Longview, TX ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Longview, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 89.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,712 in Longview | $109,037 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $45,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Longview, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Longview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 66.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 83.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 89.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Longview, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
97 Strong offer
Longview, TX → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Longview, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Longview, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Longview, TX | Real change, Durham → Longview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Longview, TX | Longview pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $60,210 | $65,651 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $106,360 | $115,972 (−14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,060 | $81,843 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $80,330 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.