City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Charlotte, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 2.8% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $102,800 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Atlanta, GA to Charlotte, NC ($112,556 → $108,810), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,292 in Charlotte | $102,784 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,538/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 97.6 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
77 Strong offer
Charlotte, NC → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Charlotte, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Charlotte, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Real change, Atlanta → Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $63,098 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $76,343 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $91,503 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $108,810 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $128,581 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Charlotte pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $58,680 | $60,314 (−21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $135,920 | $139,704 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $92,910 | $95,496 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $90,620 | $93,143 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.