City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 4.1% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $104,100 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Spokane, WA to Wilmington, NC ($106,991 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Spokane, WA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,090 in Wilmington | $104,070 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
81 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Spokane → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $61,722 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $74,678 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $89,508 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $106,437 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $125,776 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $48,240 | $50,203 (−49.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $123,730 | $128,765 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $77,920 | $81,091 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $80,970 | $84,265 (−24.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.