City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 3.1% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $103,100 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $937 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Richmond, VA ($117,402 → $111,183), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,004 in Richmond | $103,088 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$937/yr.
78 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$937/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Richmond, VA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,475 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $78,009 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,499 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,183 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,385 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $61,290 | $63,183 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $132,120 | $136,200 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $84,220 | $86,821 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $93,580 | $96,470 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.