City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Birmingham, AL (91.6) and Spartanburg, SC (91.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Birmingham, AL goes as far as $99,400 in Spartanburg, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Spartanburg, SC ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,353 in Spartanburg | $100,651 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
71 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Birmingham → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $60,990 | $61,387 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $114,460 | $115,205 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $77,080 | $77,582 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $82,360 | $82,896 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.