City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 11.9% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $111,900 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,050 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.9% moving from Charlotte, NC to Washington, DC ($108,810 → $121,785), while prices change by +11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,850 in Washington | $89,405 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,050/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,050/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Washington, DC | Real change, Charlotte → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $70,623 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $85,447 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $102,415 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $121,785 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $143,913 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $79,470 | $71,050 (+21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $154,930 | $138,516 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $102,140 | $91,319 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $102,710 | $91,828 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.