City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 9.9% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $109,900 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Springfield, MO ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,998 in Springfield | $109,892 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Springfield, MO | Real change, Charlotte → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $49,380 | $54,265 (−7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $102,350 | $112,475 (−17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $73,020 | $80,243 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $79,370 | $87,221 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.