City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Vallejo, CA are 11.4% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $111,400 in Vallejo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,705 a month in Vallejo, CA versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Vallejo, CA and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Vallejo, CA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +22.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Vallejo, CA ($108,810 → $133,060), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,434 in Vallejo | $89,739 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,705/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Vallejo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
34 Weak offer
Vallejo, CA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Vallejo, CA | Real change, Charlotte → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $77,161 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $93,358 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $111,896 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $133,060 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $157,236 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $100,790 | $90,448 (+54.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $136,930 | $122,880 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $95,800 | $85,970 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $203,290 | $182,430 (+101.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.