City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Oxnard, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oxnard, CA are 9.5% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $109,500 in Oxnard, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Oxnard, CA and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Charleston, SC to Oxnard, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Oxnard, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 110.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,481 in Oxnard | $91,340 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $2,250/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $52,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Oxnard |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 171.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 152.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 110.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Oxnard, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
25 Weak offer
Oxnard, CA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Oxnard, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Oxnard, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Oxnard, CA | Real change, Charleston → Oxnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Oxnard, CA | Oxnard pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $99,420 | $90,810 (+48.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $159,430 | $145,624 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $90,340 | $82,517 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $131,160 | $119,802 (+29.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.