City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 7.2% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $107,200 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in El Paso, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from El Paso, TX to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −6.8%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,240 in Wilmington | $93,248 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
48 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Wilmington, NC | Real change, El Paso → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $48,240 | $44,983 (−29.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $123,730 | $115,376 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $77,920 | $72,659 (+10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $80,970 | $75,503 (−12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.