City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Fort Collins, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charleston, SC (101.0) and Fort Collins, CO (101.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charleston, SC goes as far as $100,200 in Fort Collins, CO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 24% in Fort Collins, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Charleston, SC to Fort Collins, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.3% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Fort Collins, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 101.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,164 in Fort Collins | $99,836 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 120.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 101.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
68 Fair offer
Fort Collins, CO → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fort Collins, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Fort Collins, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Fort Collins, CO | Real change, Charleston → Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $62,930 | $62,827 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $133,990 | $133,770 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $89,340 | $89,193 (+12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $97,600 | $97,440 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.