City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 3.5% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $103,500 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Eugene, OR to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,642 in Raleigh | $103,475 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
79 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Eugene → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $60,170 | $62,261 (−3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $132,770 | $137,384 (+13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $81,950 | $84,798 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $84,830 | $87,778 (−22.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.