City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 12.6% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $112,600 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Olympia, WA to Winston, NC ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (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
| Olympia, WA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,785 in Winston | $112,632 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Winston, NC | Real change, Olympia → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $56,510 | $63,648 (−39.2%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $124,130 | $139,810 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $78,950 | $88,923 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $86,120 | $96,999 (−22.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.