City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Allentown, PA (100.0) and Charleston, SC (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Allentown, PA goes as far as $101,000 in Charleston, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Charleston, SC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.0% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,994 in Charleston | $99,015 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,630/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 | 21% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
64 Fair offer
Charleston, SC → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Charleston, SC | Real change, Allentown → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −16.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −16.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −16.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −16.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −16.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $61,020 | $60,419 (−23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $132,150 | $130,849 (+6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $79,350 | $78,569 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $92,800 | $91,886 (−9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.