City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 15.8% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $115,800 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 $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Lafayette, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Charleston, SC to Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +15.8%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,378 in Lafayette | $115,770 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
36 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Charleston → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +15.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +15.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +15.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +15.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +15.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $110,310 | $83,030 | $96,124 (−12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $109,010 | $126,201 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $67,630 | $78,295 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $81,960 | $94,885 (+2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.