City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 5.2% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $105,200 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Charlotte, NC to Kansas City, MO ($108,810 → $108,173), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,064 in Kansas City | $105,192 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
85 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Charlotte → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,729 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,897 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,968 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $108,173 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $127,829 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,060 | $64,230 (+9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $124,990 | $131,480 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $80,040 | $84,196 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $83,040 | $87,352 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.