City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Charlotte, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 7.3% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $107,300 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD and $1,538 in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Charlotte, NC ($121,785 → $108,810), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Charlotte, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,168 in Charlotte | $107,333 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,538/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 97.6 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
92 Strong offer
Charlotte, NC → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Charlotte, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Charlotte, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Charlotte, NC | Real change, Baltimore → Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $63,098 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $76,343 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $91,503 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,810 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $128,581 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Charlotte, NC | Charlotte pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $58,680 | $62,983 (−17.6%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $135,920 | $145,888 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $92,910 | $99,724 (+17.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $90,620 | $97,266 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.