City comparison
Durham, NC vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Durham, NC (97.6) and Merced, CA (98.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Durham, NC goes as far as $100,700 in Merced, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,213 in Merced, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 20% in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.7% moving from Durham, NC to Merced, CA ($111,147 → $133,060), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.9% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,720 in Merced | $99,285 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Merced, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
67 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Merced, CA | Real change, Durham → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $77,161 | +18.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $93,358 | +18.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $111,896 | +18.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $133,060 | +18.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $157,236 | +18.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $100,120 | $99,404 (+93.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $132,120 | $131,175 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $80,420 | $79,845 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $131,620 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.