City comparison
Oxnard, CA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oxnard, CA are 14.6% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $114,600 in Oxnard, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Oxnard, CA and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Oxnard, CA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Oxnard, CA to Wilmington, NC ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much pricier)
- 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
| Oxnard, CA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 110.5 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,233 in Wilmington | $114,636 in Oxnard |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,250/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 36% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,510 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oxnard | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 171.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 152.9 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 110.5 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oxnard, CA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Oxnard, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
20 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oxnard, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Oxnard, CA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oxnard, CA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Oxnard → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oxnard, CA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Oxnard dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $99,420 | $48,240 | $55,300 (−44.4%) |
| Software Developers | $159,430 | $123,730 | $141,839 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $90,340 | $77,920 | $89,324 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,160 | $80,970 | $92,820 (−29.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.