City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 5.8% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $105,800 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.6% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Cincinnati, OH ($117,402 → $110,865), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,538 in Cincinnati | $105,777 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
87 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Ann Arbor → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,290 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,785 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,231 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $110,865 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,009 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $64,740 | $68,480 (+6.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $121,420 | $128,435 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $80,640 | $85,299 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $83,650 | $88,483 (−14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.