City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 4.9% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $104,900 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.7% moving from Charlotte, NC to Fresno, CA ($108,810 → $106,973), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.3% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,941 in Fresno | $95,292 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
54 Fair offer
Fresno, CA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Fresno, CA | Real change, Charlotte → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,033 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,055 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,959 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,973 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,410 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $78,800 | $75,090 (+28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $129,060 | $122,983 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $78,690 | $74,985 (−19.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $125,420 | $119,515 (+31.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.