City comparison
Pensacola, FL vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 6.2% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $106,200 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Pensacola, FL.
- 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 Pensacola, FL to Winston, NC changes real buying power by +6.2%, purely from prices.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (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
| Pensacola, FL | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,193 in Winston | $106,165 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
88 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
51 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 Pensacola, FL to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Winston, NC | Real change, Pensacola → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $56,510 | $59,994 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $124,130 | $131,782 (+21.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $78,950 | $83,817 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $86,120 | $91,429 (+17.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.