City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Green Bay, WI are 2.2% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $102,200 in Green Bay, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $923 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Green Bay, WI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Green Bay, WI to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +2.2%, purely from prices.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Green Bay, WI | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,814 in Spartanburg | $102,235 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$923/yr.
76 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Green Bay, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$923/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Green Bay, WI to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Green Bay → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $60,990 | $62,353 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $114,460 | $117,018 (+13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $77,080 | $78,803 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $82,360 | $84,201 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.