City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spartanburg, SC are 1.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $101,500 in Spartanburg, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,843 in SC.
- 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 Montgomery, AL to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (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
| Montgomery, AL | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,527 in Spartanburg | $98,496 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
64 Fair offer
Spartanburg, SC → Montgomery, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
74 Strong 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 Montgomery, AL to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Montgomery → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $60,990 | $60,073 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $114,460 | $112,739 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $77,080 | $75,921 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $82,360 | $81,122 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.