City comparison
New Orleans, LA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 4.1% higher than in New Orleans, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in New Orleans, LA would need about $104,100 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,113 in New Orleans, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 17% in New Orleans, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $868 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in New Orleans, LA.
- 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 New Orleans, LA to Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −4.0%, purely from prices.
- New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| New Orleans, LA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,131 in Wilmington | $96,033 in New Orleans |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,290 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New Orleans-Metairie, LA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Orleans | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Orleans, LA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$868/yr.
56 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → New Orleans, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$868/yr.
82 Strong 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 New Orleans, LA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Orleans, LA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, New Orleans → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Orleans, LA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in New Orleans dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,350 | $48,240 | $46,326 (−23.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,950 | $123,730 | $118,822 (+11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $77,920 | $74,829 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,850 | $80,970 | $77,758 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.