City comparison
Merced, CA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 6.8% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $106,800 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Merced, CA to Winston, NC ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.6% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Merced, CA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,659 in Winston | $106,771 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
90 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Winston, NC | Real change, Merced → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −14.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −14.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −14.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −14.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −14.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | $56,510 | $60,336 (−39.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $124,130 | $132,535 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $78,950 | $84,296 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $86,120 | $91,951 (−30.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.