City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Flint, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbia, SC (93.7) and Flint, MI (93.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbia, SC goes as far as $99,300 in Flint, MI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 14% in Flint, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Flint, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Columbia, SC to Flint, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 93.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,330 in Flint | $100,675 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $856/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $45,880 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Flint, MI MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Flint, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Flint |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 74.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 97.1 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 93.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
71 Strong offer
Flint, MI → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Flint, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Flint, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Flint, MI | Real change, Columbia → Flint |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Flint, MI | Flint pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $65,620 | $66,063 (+10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $101,750 | $102,437 (−17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $74,500 | $75,003 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $97,780 | $98,440 (+20.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.