City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 2.8% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $102,800 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +2.8%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (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
| Scranton, PA | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,322 in Spartanburg | $102,751 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/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 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
77 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
60 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 Scranton, PA to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Scranton → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $60,990 | $62,668 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $114,460 | $117,609 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $77,080 | $79,201 (+12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $82,360 | $84,626 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.