City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 13.9% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $113,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Winston, NC ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,809 in Winston | $113,884 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Winston, NC | Real change, Minneapolis → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $56,510 | $64,356 (−19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $124,130 | $141,364 (+8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $78,950 | $89,911 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $86,120 | $98,077 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.