City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 7.5% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $107,500 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Charleston, SC to Cleveland, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.2% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,028 in Cleveland | $107,494 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
92 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Charleston → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $76,470 | $82,201 (+34.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $111,310 | $119,652 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $80,000 | $85,996 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $83,940 | $90,231 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.