City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 5.6% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $105,600 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,596 in Raleigh, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 25% in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.1% moving from Olympia, WA to Raleigh, NC ($119,630 → $111,147), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Olympia, WA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,682 in Raleigh | $105,617 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
86 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Olympia → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,453 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,983 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,468 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,147 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,342 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $60,170 | $63,549 (−39.3%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $132,770 | $140,227 (+13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $81,950 | $86,553 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $84,830 | $89,594 (−28.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.