City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lubbock, TX (91.3) and Spartanburg, SC (91.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lubbock, TX goes as far as $99,700 in Spartanburg, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Lubbock, TX.
- 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 Lubbock, TX to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +0.3%, purely from prices.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much 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
| Lubbock, TX | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,709 in Spartanburg | $100,292 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
70 Fair offer
Spartanburg, SC → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
68 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 Lubbock, TX to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Lubbock → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,220 | $60,990 | $61,168 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $114,460 | $114,794 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $77,080 | $77,305 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $82,360 | $82,601 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.