City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spartanburg, SC are 2.4% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $102,400 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,780 in KS.
- 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +2.4%, purely from prices.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Spartanburg, SC | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,688 in Wichita | $102,367 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$63/yr.
76 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$63/yr.
62 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 Spartanburg, SC to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | Wichita, KS | Real change, Spartanburg → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $58,640 | $60,028 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $105,980 | $108,488 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $79,270 | $81,146 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $76,540 | $78,351 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.