City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 4.7% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $104,700 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Nashville, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Nashville, TN to Winston, NC changes real buying power by +4.7%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Nashville, TN | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,542 in Winston | $104,666 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
83 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Nashville, TN to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Winston, NC | Real change, Nashville → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $56,510 | $59,147 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $124,130 | $129,922 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $78,950 | $82,634 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $86,120 | $90,139 (+7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.