City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 2.4% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $102,400 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Greensboro, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Greensboro, NC to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,394 in St. Louis | $97,662 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
61 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Greensboro → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $60,650 | $59,232 (−0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $129,030 | $126,013 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $78,880 | $77,036 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $83,180 | $81,235 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.