City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Charlotte, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 1.6% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $101,600 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Buffalo, NY to Charlotte, NC ($111,301 → $108,810), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Charlotte, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,569 in Charlotte | $98,455 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,538/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 97.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
64 Fair offer
Charlotte, NC → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Charlotte, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Charlotte, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Charlotte, NC | Real change, Buffalo → Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $63,098 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $76,343 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $91,503 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $108,810 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $128,581 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Charlotte, NC | Charlotte pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $58,680 | $57,773 (−24.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $135,920 | $133,820 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $92,910 | $91,475 (+11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $90,620 | $89,220 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.