City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 3.4% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $103,400 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Durham, NC ($117,402 → $111,147), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,721 in Durham | $103,390 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
79 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Durham, NC | Real change, Ann Arbor → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,453 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,983 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,468 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,147 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,342 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $51,400 | $53,143 (−17.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $135,620 | $140,218 (+10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $85,090 | $87,975 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.