City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Detroit, MI (100.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $99,400 in Detroit, MI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- Both are in MI, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,999 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $117,402 in either. A transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Detroit, MI changes real buying power by +0.6%, purely from prices.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,423 in Detroit | $100,580 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Detroit, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 Strong offer
Detroit, MI → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Detroit, MI | Real change, Ann Arbor → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,081 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $82,372 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $98,729 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $117,402 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $138,734 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $65,210 | $65,588 (+2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $130,760 | $131,519 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $80,650 | $81,118 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $97,280 | $97,844 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.