City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Charleston, SC (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $100,100 in Charleston, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Charleston, SC ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,081 in Charleston | $99,919 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
67 Fair offer
Charleston, SC → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Charleston, SC | Real change, Ann Arbor → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $61,020 | $60,970 (−4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $132,150 | $132,043 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,350 | $79,286 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $92,800 | $92,725 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.