City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 3.8% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $103,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $434 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Charleston, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Charleston, SC to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,823 in Minneapolis | $96,318 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$434/yr.
57 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$434/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Charleston → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $79,730 | $76,794 (+25.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $130,920 | $126,099 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $86,500 | $83,315 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $103,040 | $99,246 (+6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.