City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 10.6% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $110,600 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Wilmington, NC ($117,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,393 in Wilmington | $110,628 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/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 | 30% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Sacramento → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $48,240 | $53,367 (−48.4%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $123,730 | $136,880 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $77,920 | $86,202 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $80,970 | $89,576 (−47.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.