CostIndexUSA

Charleston, WV vs Macon, GA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWV
Charleston
88.7
overall index
$1,000/mo rent
GA
Macon
88.5
overall index
$1,200/mo rent

Charleston and Macon have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+14.6%
Charleston
51.4
Macon
58.9
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Charleston
96.3
Macon
96.3
🚗 Transportation1.1%
Charleston
104.8
Macon
103.6
🏥 Healthcare1.2%
Charleston
94.8
Macon
93.7
Utilities2.4%
Charleston
91.7
Macon
89.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charleston to see what you'd need to earn in Macon to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Macon, GA
$79,800
$200 less needed in Macon

Formula: salary × (88.5 ÷ 88.7) = salary × 0.9977. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charleston, WV

Median Home Price
$143,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,000
Housing Index
51.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.9×

Macon, GA

Median Home Price
$190,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Housing Index
58.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.2×

Macon has 14.6% higher housing costs compared to Charleston.

Income & Job Market

Charleston, WV

Median Household Income
$55,400
Per Capita Income
$31,600
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
47,068
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEnergyFinanceEducation

Macon, GA

Median Household Income
$59,800
Per Capita Income
$34,100
Unemployment Rate
6.2%
Population
157,346
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingGovernmentLogisticsEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Charleston, WV
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Macon, GA
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.