City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 4.8% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $104,800 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Greensboro, NC.
- 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 Madison, WI changes real buying power by −4.5%, purely from prices.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,762 in Madison | $95,455 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
55 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
84 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 Greensboro, NC to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Madison, WI | Real change, Greensboro → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $63,690 | $60,795 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $130,630 | $124,692 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $81,130 | $77,442 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $101,190 | $96,591 (+16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.