City comparison
Tuscaloosa, AL vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 9.9% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $109,900 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Tuscaloosa, AL to Wilmington, NC ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.7 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,918 in Wilmington | $90,977 in Tuscaloosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $972/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tuscaloosa, AL and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tuscaloosa | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.2 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 87.7 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tuscaloosa, AL → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
41 Weak offer
Wilmington, NC → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tuscaloosa, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Tuscaloosa, AL to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Tuscaloosa → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Tuscaloosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,220 | $48,240 | $43,887 (−27.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,870 | $123,730 | $112,566 (+7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,690 | $77,920 | $70,889 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,250 | $80,970 | $73,664 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.