City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charleston, SC (101.0) and Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charleston, SC goes as far as $100,900 in Portland, ME.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $811 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Charleston, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Charleston, SC to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.3% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,887 in Portland | $99,120 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$811/yr.
63 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$811/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Portland, ME | Real change, Charleston → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +12.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +12.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +12.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +12.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +12.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $76,770 | $76,095 (+24.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $128,710 | $127,578 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $79,790 | $79,088 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $88,470 | $87,692 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.