City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 11.2% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $111,200 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Greenville, SC to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,162 in Olympia | $89,959 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Olympia, WA | Real change, Greenville → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $104,650 | $94,142 (+55.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $124,060 | $111,603 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $94,470 | $84,984 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $125,020 | $112,466 (+38.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.