City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 12.6% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $112,600 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Spartanburg, SC ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,783 in Spartanburg | $112,634 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Philadelphia → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $60,990 | $68,695 (−12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $114,460 | $128,920 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $77,080 | $86,818 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $82,360 | $92,765 (−8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.