City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 5.9% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $105,900 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Dallas, TX ($108,810 → $115,711), while prices change by +5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,898 in Dallas | $94,430 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
51 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Dallas, TX | Real change, Charlotte → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $67,100 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $81,186 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $97,307 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $115,711 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $136,736 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $65,070 | $61,446 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $133,290 | $125,866 (−7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $82,620 | $78,018 (−16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $101,420 | $95,771 (+5.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.