City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 2.1% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $102,100 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC and $1,648 in Dallas, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.7% moving from Charleston, SC to Dallas, TX ($106,437 → $115,711), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,108 in Dallas | $97,936 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
62 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
73 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Dallas, TX | Real change, Charleston → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,100 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,186 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,307 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $115,711 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $136,736 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $110,310 | $133,610 | $130,852 (+18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $133,290 | $130,539 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $82,620 | $80,915 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $101,420 | $99,326 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.