City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 10.1% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $110,100 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,695 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Charleston, SC to Des Moines, IA ($106,437 → $107,301), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,827 in Des Moines | $110,099 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,695/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,695/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Charleston → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,223 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,284 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,234 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,301 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,797 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $61,650 | $67,876 (+11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $126,460 | $139,231 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $79,290 | $87,298 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $78,630 | $86,571 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.