City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 14.8% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $114,800 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 $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $868 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Shreveport, LA ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.3% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,075 in Shreveport | $114,843 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$868/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$868/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Charlotte → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +12.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +12.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +12.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +12.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +12.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,850 | $71,031 (+21.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $96,680 | $111,030 (−18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $70,420 | $80,873 (−13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $80,080 | $91,966 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.