City comparison
Riverside, CA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 10.4% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $110,400 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Riverside, CA to Wilmington, NC ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (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
| Riverside, CA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.4 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,586 in Wilmington | $110,392 in Riverside |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,777/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 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,400 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Riverside | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.3 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 101.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 101.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 106.4 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Riverside, CA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Riverside, 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 Riverside, CA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Riverside, CA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Riverside → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Riverside, CA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Riverside dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,520 | $48,240 | $53,253 (−45.9%) |
| Software Developers | $133,270 | $123,730 | $136,588 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,920 | $77,920 | $86,017 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $133,940 | $80,970 | $89,384 (−33.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.