City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 14.0% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $114,000 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,080 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Springfield, MO.
- 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 Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +14.0%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,741 in Springfield | $113,972 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,080/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,080/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Springfield, MO | Real change, Charleston → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $49,380 | $56,279 (−7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $102,350 | $116,650 (−11.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $73,020 | $83,222 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $79,370 | $90,459 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.