City comparison
Reading, PA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Reading, PA (97.1) and Wilmington, NC (96.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Reading, PA goes as far as $99,300 in Wilmington, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Reading, PA to Wilmington, NC ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.6% in real buying power.
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| Reading, PA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,343 in Wilmington | $100,662 in Reading |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,237/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,440 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reading, PA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reading, PA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reading | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 85.4 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 108.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reading, PA → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
71 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reading, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reading, PA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reading, PA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Reading → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reading, PA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Reading dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,860 | $48,240 | $48,559 (−39.2%) |
| Software Developers | $120,920 | $123,730 | $124,549 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,550 | $77,920 | $78,436 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,470 | $80,970 | $81,506 (−17.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.