City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 3.4% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $103,400 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Greensboro, NC than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Greensboro, NC to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.7% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greensboro, NC | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,376 in York | $96,734 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
59 Fair offer
York, PA → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | York, PA | Real change, Greensboro → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | York, PA | York pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $79,730 | $77,126 (+29.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $114,600 | $110,858 (−11.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $75,160 | $72,706 (−9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $96,210 | $93,068 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.