City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 6.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $106,500 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.9% moving from Charlotte, NC to Olympia, WA ($108,810 → $119,630), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,494 in Olympia | $93,902 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
49 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Olympia, WA | Real change, Charlotte → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,373 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $83,935 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,602 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $119,630 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $141,367 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $104,650 | $98,268 (+67.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $124,060 | $116,495 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $94,470 | $88,709 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $125,020 | $117,396 (+29.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.