City comparison
Columbia, SC vs North Port, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in North Port, FL are 9.3% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $109,300 in North Port, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,686 a month in North Port, FL versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in North Port, FL and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in North Port, FL.
- 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 North Port, FL changes real buying power by −8.5%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- North Port, FL: price level 102.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | North Port, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 102.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,347 in North Port | $91,452 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,686/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | North Port |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 128.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 102.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → North Port, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
41 Weak offer
North Port, FL → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
98 Strong 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 North Port, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | North Port, FL | Real change, Columbia → North Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | North Port, FL | North Port pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $62,370 | $57,038 (−5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $131,890 | $120,616 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $81,090 | $74,158 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $86,130 | $78,767 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.