City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Baltimore, MD (104.5) and Minneapolis, MN (104.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baltimore, MD goes as far as $100,300 in Minneapolis, MN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $890 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Minneapolis, MN ($121,785 → $116,038), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,321 in Minneapolis | $99,680 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$890/yr.
68 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Baltimore, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$890/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Baltimore → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $67,290 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $81,415 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $97,582 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $116,038 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $137,123 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $79,730 | $79,475 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $130,920 | $130,502 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $86,500 | $86,224 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $103,040 | $102,711 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.