City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 7.8% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $107,800 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $929 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Scranton, PA ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,740 in Scranton | $107,828 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$929/yr.
93 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$929/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Scranton, PA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $76,590 | $82,586 (+28.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $119,960 | $129,351 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $70,480 | $75,998 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $82,650 | $89,120 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.