City comparison
Wilmington, NC vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Wilmington, NC (96.4) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Wilmington, NC goes as far as $99,600 in York, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Wilmington, NC to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.9% in real buying power.
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Wilmington, NC | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.4 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,562 in York | $100,440 in Wilmington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,513/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,800 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Wilmington, NC and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Wilmington | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 96.4 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Wilmington, NC → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
70 Strong offer
York, PA → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Wilmington, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Wilmington, NC to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Wilmington, NC | York, PA | Real change, Wilmington → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +14.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +14.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +14.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +14.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +14.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Wilmington, NC | York, PA | York pay in Wilmington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,240 | $79,730 | $80,080 (+66.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $114,600 | $115,104 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,920 | $75,160 | $75,490 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,970 | $96,210 | $96,633 (+19.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.