City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Bridgeport, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 5.9% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $105,900 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Bridgeport, CT ($117,402 → $125,431), while prices change by +5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Bridgeport, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 106.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,932 in Bridgeport | $94,400 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $2,100/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $61,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 150.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 147.1 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 106.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
39 Weak offer
Bridgeport, CT → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Bridgeport, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Bridgeport, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Bridgeport, CT | Real change, Ann Arbor → Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $72,737 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $88,005 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $105,481 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $125,431 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $148,222 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Bridgeport, CT | Bridgeport pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $98,600 | $93,079 (+45.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $162,650 | $153,542 (+21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $102,020 | $96,307 (+20.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $105,660 | $99,743 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.