City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 6.4% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $106,400 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,581 in Chicago, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Charlotte, NC to Chicago, IL ($108,810 → $118,984), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,417 in Chicago | $93,970 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
49 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
89 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Chicago, IL | Real change, Charlotte → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $68,999 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $83,482 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,059 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $118,984 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $140,604 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $131,440 | $125,310 | $117,754 (−10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $134,380 | $126,277 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $82,360 | $77,394 (−16.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $100,490 | $94,430 (+4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.