City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Killeen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greensboro, NC are 1.9% higher than in Killeen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Killeen, TX would need about $101,900 in Greensboro, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $990 in Killeen, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 15% in Killeen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Greensboro, NC than in Killeen, 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 Greensboro, NC to Killeen, TX changes real buying power by +1.9%, purely from prices.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Killeen, TX: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Killeen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,134 in Killeen | $101,902 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $46,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Killeen-Temple, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Killeen-Temple, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Killeen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Killeen, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
75 Strong offer
Killeen, TX → Greensboro, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
63 Fair 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 Greensboro, NC to Killeen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Killeen, TX | Real change, Greensboro → Killeen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Killeen, TX | Killeen pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $63,120 | $64,320 (+7.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $123,320 | $125,665 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $73,270 | $74,663 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $93,440 | $95,217 (+14.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.