City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 8.7% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $108,700 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- 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 +9.1% moving from Charlotte, NC to Denver, CO ($108,810 → $118,675), while prices change by +8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,664 in Denver | $92,027 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,754/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
40 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Denver, CO | Real change, Charlotte → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $68,819 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $83,265 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $99,800 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $118,675 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $140,239 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $76,910 | $70,778 (+20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $137,610 | $126,638 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $100,020 | $92,045 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $101,130 | $93,067 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.