City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 2.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $102,500 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.7% moving from Charlotte, NC to Visalia, CA ($108,810 → $106,973), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,544 in Visalia | $97,519 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
61 Fair offer
Visalia, CA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Visalia, CA | Real change, Charlotte → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,033 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,055 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,959 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,973 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,410 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $98,430 | $95,988 (+63.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $126,170 | $123,039 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $79,400 | $77,430 (−16.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $125,180 | $122,074 (+34.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.