City comparison
Canton, OH vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 12.9% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $112,900 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 $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Canton, OH to Charleston, SC ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +12.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.2% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (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
| Canton, OH | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,925 in Charleston | $88,554 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
36 Weak offer
Charleston, SC → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Charleston, SC | Real change, Canton → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −15.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $61,020 | $54,036 (−30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $132,150 | $117,024 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $79,350 | $70,268 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $92,800 | $82,178 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.