City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Oxnard, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oxnard, CA are 9.6% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $109,600 in Oxnard, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Oxnard, CA and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,071 a year higher in Oxnard, CA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Oxnard, CA ($117,402 → $124,085), while prices change by +9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Oxnard, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 110.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,570 in Oxnard | $91,266 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $2,250/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $52,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Oxnard |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 171.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 152.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 110.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Oxnard, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$1,071/yr.
24 Weak offer
Oxnard, CA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,071/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Oxnard, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Oxnard, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Oxnard, CA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Oxnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $71,957 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $87,061 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $104,349 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $124,085 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $146,632 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Oxnard, CA | Oxnard pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $99,420 | $90,737 (+41.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $159,430 | $145,505 (+14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $90,340 | $82,450 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $131,160 | $119,705 (+15.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.