City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 1.3% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $101,300 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 $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.4% moving from Charlotte, NC to Springfield, MA ($108,810 → $120,094), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.8% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,678 in Springfield | $101,340 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
73 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Charlotte → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,642 | +11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,260 | +11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,992 | +11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,094 | +11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $141,915 | +11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $79,640 | $80,707 (+37.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $127,740 | $129,451 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $92,010 | $93,243 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $98,410 | $99,728 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.