City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 15.5% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $115,500 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Charleston, SC to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −13.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +20.6% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,561 in Youngstown | $115,525 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Charleston → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +20.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +20.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +20.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +20.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +20.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $72,560 | $83,825 (+37.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $107,990 | $124,756 (−5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $73,080 | $84,426 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $78,680 | $90,895 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.