City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Baltimore, MD (104.5) and Boulder, CO (105.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baltimore, MD goes as far as $100,700 in Boulder, CO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,511 in Baltimore, MD. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Baltimore, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $695 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Boulder, CO ($121,785 → $118,675), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,684 in Boulder | $99,320 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$695/yr.
61 Fair offer
Boulder, CO → Baltimore, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$695/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Boulder, CO | Real change, Baltimore → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $68,819 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $83,265 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $99,800 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $118,675 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $140,239 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $80,640 | $80,092 (+4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $164,560 | $163,442 (+17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $99,990 | $99,310 (+16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $103,290 | $102,588 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.