City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 15.5% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $115,500 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Spartanburg, SC ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,549 in Spartanburg | $115,542 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Boulder → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $60,990 | $70,469 (−12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $114,460 | $132,249 (−19.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,080 | $89,060 (−10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $82,360 | $95,160 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.