City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Colorado Springs, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 3.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $103,500 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,464 in Colorado Springs, CO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,692 in CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Charlotte, NC to Colorado Springs, CO ($108,810 → $109,246), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Colorado Springs, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 100.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,451 in Colorado Springs | $96,665 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,464/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $52,710 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Colorado Springs, CO |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Colorado Springs, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 116.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 83.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 100.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
58 Fair offer
Colorado Springs, CO → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Colorado Springs, CO is in Colorado Springs, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Colorado Springs, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Colorado Springs, CO | Real change, Charlotte → Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $63,351 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $76,650 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $91,870 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $109,246 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $129,096 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Colorado Springs, CO | Colorado Springs pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,140 | $59,101 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $134,280 | $129,801 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $85,000 | $82,165 (−11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $96,140 | $92,933 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.