City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 6.9% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $106,900 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Modesto, 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 Modesto, CA ($108,810 → $133,060), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.3% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,944 in Modesto | $93,507 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,356/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $50,610 |
| 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 Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
48 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Modesto, CA | Real change, Charlotte → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $77,161 | +14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $93,358 | +14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $111,896 | +14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $133,060 | +14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $157,236 | +14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $101,640 | $95,040 (+62.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $119,770 | $111,993 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $83,560 | $78,134 (−15.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $132,590 | $123,981 (+36.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.