City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbia, SC (93.7) and Louisville, KY (93.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbia, SC goes as far as $99,400 in Louisville, KY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,460 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Louisville, KY.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Columbia, SC to Louisville, KY changes real buying power by +0.6%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,372 in Louisville | $100,632 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,460/yr.
71 Strong offer
Louisville, KY → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,460/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Louisville, KY | Real change, Columbia → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $61,610 | $61,999 (+3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $110,270 | $110,967 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $76,320 | $76,802 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $84,850 | $85,386 (+4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.