City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 6.6% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $106,600 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 $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Lubbock, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Lubbock, TX ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,805 in Lubbock | $106,604 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $990/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Lubbock, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
89 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Lubbock, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Charlotte → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $59,220 | $63,131 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $115,190 | $122,798 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $74,390 | $79,303 (−14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $81,480 | $86,861 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.