City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 5.7% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $105,700 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, 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 +10.8% moving from Charleston, SC to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,654 in Sacramento | $94,649 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,832/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
45 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Charleston → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $103,390 | $97,858 (+60.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $139,640 | $132,168 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $92,110 | $87,181 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $171,460 | $162,285 (+74.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.