City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 7.7% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $107,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.6% moving from Charlotte, NC to Minneapolis, MN ($108,810 → $116,038), while prices change by +7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,678 in Minneapolis | $92,870 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
46 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Charlotte → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $67,290 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $81,415 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $97,582 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $116,038 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $137,123 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $79,730 | $74,045 (+26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $130,920 | $121,585 (−10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $86,500 | $80,332 (−13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $103,040 | $95,693 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.