City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 17.2% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $117,200 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Sacramento, CA to Spartanburg, SC ($117,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Sacramento, CA | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,358 in Spartanburg | $117,154 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
31 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Sacramento → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $60,990 | $71,452 (−30.9%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $114,460 | $134,095 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $77,080 | $90,302 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $82,360 | $96,488 (−43.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.