City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 3.9% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $103,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Minneapolis, MN ($117,402 → $116,038), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,908 in Minneapolis | $96,239 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,277/yr.
57 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,277/yr.
81 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Ann Arbor → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $67,290 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $81,415 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $97,582 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $116,038 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $137,123 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,010 | $130,710 | $125,794 (+19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $130,920 | $125,997 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $86,500 | $83,247 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $103,040 | $99,165 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.