City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Charlotte, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 9.8% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $109,800 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.3% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Charlotte, NC ($125,431 → $108,810), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (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
| Bridgeport, CT | Charlotte, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,095 in Charlotte | $109,775 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,538/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 97.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
99 Strong offer
Charlotte, NC → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
28 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Charlotte, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Charlotte, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Charlotte, NC | Real change, Bridgeport → Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $63,098 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $76,343 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $91,503 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $108,810 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $128,581 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Charlotte, NC | Charlotte pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $58,680 | $64,416 (−34.7%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $135,920 | $149,207 (−8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $92,910 | $101,992 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $90,620 | $99,478 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.