City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charlotte, NC (97.3) and Merced, CA (98.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charlotte, NC goes as far as $101,000 in Merced, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,213 in Merced, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 20% in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +22.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Merced, CA ($108,810 → $133,060), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,952 in Merced | $99,057 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Merced, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
66 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Merced, CA | Real change, Charlotte → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $77,161 | +21.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $93,358 | +21.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $111,896 | +21.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $133,060 | +21.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $157,236 | +21.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $100,120 | $99,176 (+69.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $132,120 | $130,874 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $80,420 | $79,661 (−14.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $131,620 | $130,378 (+43.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.