City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.8% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $102,800 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Charlotte, NC to Pittsburgh, PA ($108,810 → $110,047), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,250 in Pittsburgh | $102,828 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
78 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Charlotte → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $63,815 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $77,211 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $92,543 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $110,047 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $130,042 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $76,550 | $78,715 (+34.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $124,500 | $128,020 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $76,940 | $79,116 (−14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $82,370 | $84,699 (−6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.