City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 3.7% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $103,700 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Tallahassee, FL ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,478 in Tallahassee | $103,651 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
80 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Charlotte → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $55,020 | $57,029 (−2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $121,800 | $126,247 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $61,840 | $64,098 (−31.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $79,430 | $82,330 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.