City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 8.5% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $108,500 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Charleston, SC to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.0% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,185 in Huntsville | $108,477 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
95 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Charleston → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +13.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +13.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +13.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +13.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +13.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $62,250 | $67,527 (+10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $128,080 | $138,938 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $79,220 | $85,936 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $77,090 | $83,625 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.