City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Myrtle Beach, SC
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 Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $105,300 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA and $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Myrtle Beach, SC ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Harrisburg, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,923 in Myrtle Beach | $105,348 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
85 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, 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
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Harrisburg → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $74,520 | $78,505 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $80,640 | $84,953 (−12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.