City comparison
Akron, OH vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 8.1% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $108,100 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Charleston, SC ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.4% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,131 in Charleston | $92,480 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
43 Weak offer
Charleston, SC → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Charleston, SC | Real change, Akron → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $61,020 | $56,432 (−28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $132,150 | $122,213 (+15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $79,350 | $73,383 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $92,800 | $85,822 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.