City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Green Bay, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 8.4% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $108,400 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 $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,919 in WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Green Bay, WI ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Green Bay, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,274 in Green Bay | $108,373 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $931/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Green Bay, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Green Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 74.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 90.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
95 Strong offer
Green Bay, WI → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Green Bay, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Green Bay, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Green Bay, WI | Real change, Ann Arbor → Green Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Green Bay, WI | Green Bay pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $60,600 | $65,674 (+2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $103,160 | $111,797 (−11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $77,720 | $84,227 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $84,700 | $91,792 (−11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.