City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.4% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $104,400 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,080 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Spartanburg, SC to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Spartanburg, SC | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,434 in St. Louis | $95,754 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,080/yr.
55 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,080/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spartanburg, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Spartanburg, SC to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Spartanburg → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $60,650 | $58,075 (−4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $129,030 | $123,552 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $78,880 | $75,531 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $83,180 | $79,649 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.