City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 2.2% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $102,200 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Dallas, TX ($117,402 → $115,711), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,191 in Dallas | $97,856 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
62 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Dallas, TX | Real change, Ann Arbor → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $67,100 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $81,186 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $97,307 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $115,711 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $136,736 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $65,070 | $63,675 (−0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $133,290 | $130,433 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $82,620 | $80,849 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $101,420 | $99,246 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.