City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 4.3% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $104,300 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Eugene, OR ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,335 in Eugene | $95,845 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
56 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Eugene, OR | Real change, Charlotte → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $64,260 | $61,590 (+5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $121,050 | $116,021 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $79,930 | $76,609 (−17.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $113,720 | $108,995 (+20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.