City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 8.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $108,500 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Montgomery, AL ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,125 in Montgomery | $108,548 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
95 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Charlotte → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $59,610 | $64,705 (+10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $110,620 | $120,076 (−11.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $75,040 | $81,454 (−12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $79,570 | $86,372 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.