City comparison
Durham, NC vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 9.3% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $109,300 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.2% moving from Durham, NC to Sacramento, CA ($111,147 → $117,984), while prices change by +9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,324 in Sacramento | $91,471 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,832/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
35 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Durham → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,419 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $82,780 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $99,218 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $117,984 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $139,422 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $103,390 | $94,572 (+84.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $139,640 | $127,730 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $92,110 | $84,254 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $171,460 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.