City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 2.4% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $102,400 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by −2.3%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,370 in Winston | $97,685 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Winston, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
62 Fair offer
Winston, NC → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
76 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 Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Winston, NC | Real change, El Paso → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Winston, NC | Winston pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $56,510 | $55,202 (−13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $124,130 | $121,256 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $78,950 | $77,122 (+16.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $86,120 | $84,126 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.