City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 9.0% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $109,000 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Spokane, WA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, 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 Winston, NC ($106,991 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Spokane, WA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,726 in Winston | $109,021 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $46,380 |
| 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 Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
97 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Winston, NC | Real change, Spokane → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $61,722 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $74,678 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $89,508 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $106,437 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $125,776 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $56,510 | $61,608 (−37.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $124,130 | $135,327 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $78,950 | $86,072 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $86,120 | $93,889 (−16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.