City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 18.2% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $118,200 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Winston, NC ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Santa Maria, CA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,600 in Winston | $118,203 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/mo | $1,082/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 | 44% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.4%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
8 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Winston, NC | Real change, Santa Maria → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $56,510 | $66,797 (−33.9%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $124,130 | $146,726 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $78,950 | $93,322 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $86,120 | $101,797 (−25.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.