City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 11.2% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $111,200 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 $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Charleston, SC changes real buying power by −10.1%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,216 in Charleston | $89,915 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
36 Weak offer
Charleston, SC → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Charleston, SC | Real change, Baton Rouge → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,020 | $54,866 (−7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $132,150 | $118,823 (+16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $79,350 | $71,348 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $92,800 | $83,441 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.