City comparison
Shreveport, LA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 8.6% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $108,600 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $868 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Shreveport, LA.
- 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 Shreveport, LA to Winston, NC changes real buying power by −7.9%, purely from prices.
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much 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
| Shreveport, LA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 84.8 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,585 in Winston | $92,094 in Shreveport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $982/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,820 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Shreveport-Bossier City, LA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Shreveport | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 52.3 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 84.8 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Shreveport, LA → Winston, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$868/yr.
44 Weak offer
Winston, NC → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$868/yr.
96 Strong 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 Shreveport, LA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Shreveport, LA | Winston, NC | Real change, Shreveport → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Shreveport, LA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Shreveport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,850 | $56,510 | $52,042 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,680 | $124,130 | $114,316 (+18.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,420 | $78,950 | $72,708 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,080 | $86,120 | $79,311 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.