City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Bakersfield, CA (100.9) and Charleston, SC (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Bakersfield, CA 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 $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- 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 −14.2% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Charleston, SC ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.3% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: 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
| Bakersfield, CA | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,075 in Charleston | $99,925 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,630/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 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
67 Fair offer
Charleston, SC → Bakersfield, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | Charleston, SC | Real change, Bakersfield → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,900 | $61,020 | $60,974 (−23.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $132,150 | $132,051 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $79,350 | $79,290 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $92,800 | $92,730 (−28.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.