City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charleston, SC (101.0) and Eugene, OR (101.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charleston, SC goes as far as $100,600 in Eugene, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,077 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Charleston, SC.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Charleston, SC to Eugene, OR changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,600 in Eugene | $99,403 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,077/yr.
67 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,077/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Eugene, OR | Real change, Charleston → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $64,260 | $63,877 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $121,050 | $120,328 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $79,930 | $79,453 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $113,720 | $113,041 (+21.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.