City comparison
Durham, NC vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 2.8% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $102,800 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Durham, NC to Spokane, WA ($111,147 → $106,991), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,843 in Spokane | $97,236 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
60 Fair offer
Spokane, WA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Spokane, WA | Real change, Durham → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,044 | −6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,068 | −6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,974 | −6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,991 | −6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $126,432 | −6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $98,800 | $96,069 (+86.9%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $130,690 | $127,077 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $86,350 | $83,963 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $111,750 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.