City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Harrisburg, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 2.3% higher than in Harrisburg, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Harrisburg, PA would need about $102,300 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 $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 19% in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Charleston, SC to Harrisburg, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Harrisburg, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 98.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,710 in Harrisburg | $102,344 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,212/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 96.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 108.1 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 98.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
76 Strong offer
Harrisburg, PA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Harrisburg, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Harrisburg, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Harrisburg, PA | Real change, Charleston → Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Harrisburg, PA | Harrisburg pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $77,160 | $78,968 (+29.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $109,470 | $112,036 (−15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $76,510 | $78,303 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $96,770 | $99,038 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.