City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 4.9% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $104,900 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Columbia, SC to Lancaster, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,906 in Lancaster | $95,323 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,220/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 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
54 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Columbia → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $78,360 | $74,695 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $104,740 | $99,842 (−19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $76,110 | $72,551 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $89,620 | $85,429 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.