City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.0% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $102,000 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Charlotte, NC to Columbus, OH ($108,810 → $111,065), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,070 in Columbus | $101,968 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
75 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Columbus, OH | Real change, Charlotte → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $64,406 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $77,926 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $93,400 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $111,065 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $131,245 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $78,150 | $79,688 (+35.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $122,340 | $124,748 (−8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $81,700 | $83,308 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $83,900 | $85,551 (−5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.