City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charleston, SC (101.0) and Spokane, WA (100.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charleston, SC goes as far as $99,400 in Spokane, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Charleston, SC to Spokane, WA ($106,437 → $106,991), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,390 in Spokane | $100,614 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Spokane, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
71 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
65 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Spokane, WA | Real change, Charleston → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,044 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,068 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,974 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,991 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,432 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $110,310 | $106,190 | $106,842 (−3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $130,690 | $131,492 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $86,350 | $86,880 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $111,750 | $112,436 (+21.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.