City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 15.1% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $115,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $434 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Spartanburg, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Spartanburg, SC ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.6% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,862 in Spartanburg | $115,124 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$434/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$434/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Minneapolis → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $60,990 | $70,214 (−11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $114,460 | $131,771 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $77,080 | $88,738 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $82,360 | $94,817 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.