City comparison
Visalia, CA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 3.5% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $103,500 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Visalia, CA to Wilmington, NC ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (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
| Visalia, CA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,591 in Wilmington | $103,529 in Visalia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,130 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Visalia, CA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Visalia, CA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Visalia | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 156.4 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Visalia, CA → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
80 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Visalia, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Visalia, CA to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Visalia, CA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Visalia → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Visalia, CA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Visalia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,430 | $48,240 | $49,943 (−49.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,170 | $123,730 | $128,097 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,400 | $77,920 | $80,670 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,180 | $80,970 | $83,828 (−33.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.