City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 7.4% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $107,400 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 $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Sioux Falls, SD ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,100 in Sioux Falls | $107,411 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
92 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Sioux Falls, SD is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Charlotte → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $50,040 | $53,749 (−8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $101,040 | $108,528 (−20.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $80,920 | $86,917 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $75,350 | $80,934 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.