City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 5.9% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $105,900 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Omaha, NE ($108,810 → $107,501), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,415 in Omaha | $105,916 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
87 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Omaha, NE | Real change, Charlotte → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,339 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,425 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,402 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,501 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $127,033 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $62,670 | $66,377 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $125,220 | $132,627 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $77,030 | $81,587 (−12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $84,600 | $89,605 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.