City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charlotte, NC (97.3) and Richmond, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charlotte, NC goes as far as $100,500 in Richmond, VA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Richmond, VA ($108,810 → $111,183), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,524 in Richmond | $99,479 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
67 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Richmond, VA | Real change, Charlotte → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $64,475 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $78,009 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $93,499 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $111,183 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $131,385 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,290 | $60,971 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $132,120 | $131,431 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $84,220 | $83,781 (−9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $93,580 | $93,092 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.