City comparison
Provo, UT vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 7.9% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $107,900 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,309 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +7.9%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,690 in Spartanburg | $107,887 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,309/yr.
93 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,309/yr.
46 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 Provo, UT to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Provo → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $60,990 | $65,800 (+4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $114,460 | $123,487 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $77,080 | $83,159 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $82,360 | $88,856 (+8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.