City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 6.3% higher than in Lansing, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Lansing, MI would need about $106,300 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 $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Lansing, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Charleston, SC to Lansing, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by −5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.2% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,086 in Lansing | $106,286 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Lansing, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
88 Strong offer
Lansing, MI → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Lansing, MI | Real change, Charleston → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +17.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +17.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +17.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +17.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +17.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $72,930 | $77,514 (+27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $97,120 | $103,225 (−21.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $79,210 | $84,189 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $84,320 | $89,620 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.