City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charleston, SC (101.0) and Palm Bay, FL (100.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charleston, SC goes as far as $99,100 in Palm Bay, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Charleston, SC to Palm Bay, FL ($106,437 → $107,228), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,052 in Palm Bay | $100,957 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Palm Bay, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
72 Strong offer
Palm Bay, FL → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Charleston → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,181 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,233 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,173 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,228 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,711 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $62,510 | $63,108 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $131,760 | $133,021 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $75,860 | $76,586 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $80,900 | $81,674 (−12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.