City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 11.0% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $111,000 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Tuscaloosa, AL ($108,810 → $107,510), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,112 in Tuscaloosa | $110,973 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $972/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Charlotte → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,344 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,431 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,410 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,510 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $127,044 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $60,220 | $66,828 (+13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $104,870 | $116,378 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $71,690 | $79,557 (−14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $75,250 | $83,507 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.