City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charlotte, NC (97.3) and Rochester, NY (97.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charlotte, NC goes as far as $99,700 in Rochester, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Charlotte, NC to Rochester, NY ($108,810 → $107,182), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,678 in Rochester | $100,323 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
70 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
68 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Rochester, NY | Real change, Charlotte → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,155 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,202 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,135 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,182 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,657 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $131,440 | $105,860 | $106,201 (−19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $122,770 | $123,166 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $80,890 | $81,151 (−12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $86,570 | $86,849 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.