City comparison
Durham, NC vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 7.2% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $107,200 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Spartanburg, SC ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,317 in Spartanburg | $107,162 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
91 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Durham → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $60,990 | $65,358 (+27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $114,460 | $122,658 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $77,080 | $82,600 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $82,360 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.