City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 1.9% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $101,900 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Lancaster, PA to Wilmington, NC ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lancaster, PA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,132 in Wilmington | $101,903 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
75 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Lancaster, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Lancaster → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $48,240 | $49,158 (−37.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $123,730 | $126,085 (+20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $77,920 | $79,403 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $80,970 | $82,511 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.