City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 15.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $115,100 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Charleston, SC to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.3% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,886 in Tuscaloosa | $115,093 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Charleston → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +16.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +16.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +16.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +16.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +16.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $60,220 | $69,309 (+13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $104,870 | $120,698 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $71,690 | $82,510 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $75,250 | $86,608 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.