City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 1.6% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $101,600 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Scranton, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Scranton, PA to Winston, NC changes real buying power by +1.6%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Scranton, PA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,383 in Winston | $101,644 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $1,082/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 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
74 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Scranton, PA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Winston, NC | Real change, Scranton → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $56,510 | $57,439 (−25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $124,130 | $126,170 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $78,950 | $80,248 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $86,120 | $87,536 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.