City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 1.1% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $101,100 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.5% moving from Raleigh, NC to Reading, PA ($111,147 → $117,284), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Raleigh, NC | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,882 in Reading | $101,130 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
72 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Reading, PA | Real change, Raleigh → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,013 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $82,289 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $98,630 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $117,284 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $138,595 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $79,860 | $80,763 (+34.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $120,920 | $122,287 (−7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $75,550 | $76,404 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $98,470 | $99,583 (+17.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.