City comparison
Albany, NY vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 1.4% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $101,400 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 $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 23% in Albany, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Charleston, SC ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- 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
| Albany, NY | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,402 in Charleston | $98,617 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
62 Fair offer
Charleston, SC → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Charleston, SC | Real change, Albany → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $61,020 | $60,176 (−24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $132,150 | $130,323 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,350 | $78,253 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $92,800 | $91,517 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.