City comparison
San Francisco, CA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 19.9% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $119,900 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $1,513 in Wilmington, NC. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 24% in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in San Francisco, CA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from San Francisco, CA to Wilmington, NC ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (much 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
| San Francisco, CA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 115.6 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,401 in Wilmington | $119,903 in San Francisco |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,977/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 | 48% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $74,260 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Francisco | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 194.7 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 108.5 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 106.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 115.6 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Francisco, CA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
3 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Francisco, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Francisco, CA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Francisco, CA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, San Francisco → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Francisco, CA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in San Francisco dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $48,240 | $57,841 (−43.2%) |
| Software Developers | $186,640 | $123,730 | $148,356 (−20.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $110,730 | $77,920 | $93,429 (−15.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $186,610 | $80,970 | $97,086 (−48.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.