City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Harrisburg, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 5.3% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $105,300 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Columbia, SC to Harrisburg, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Harrisburg, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 98.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,326 in Harrisburg | $94,944 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,212/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $49,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 96.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 108.1 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 98.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
53 Fair offer
Harrisburg, PA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Harrisburg, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Harrisburg, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Harrisburg, PA | Real change, Columbia → Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Harrisburg, PA | Harrisburg pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $77,160 | $73,259 (+22.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $109,470 | $103,935 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $76,510 | $72,641 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $96,770 | $91,877 (+12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.