City comparison
Portland, OR vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 14.5% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $114,500 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Winston, NC ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,310 in Winston | $114,535 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Winston, NC | Real change, Portland → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $56,510 | $64,723 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $124,130 | $142,172 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $78,950 | $90,425 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $86,120 | $98,637 (−24.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.