City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 10.8% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $110,800 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Tampa, FL.
- 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 Spartanburg, SC to Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −9.8%, purely from prices.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Spartanburg, SC | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,806 in Tampa | $90,248 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
37 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 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 Spartanburg, SC to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | Tampa, FL | Real change, Spartanburg → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $60,120 | $54,257 (−11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $130,450 | $117,728 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $78,990 | $71,287 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $85,470 | $77,135 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.