City comparison
Boston, MA vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.3% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $113,300 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to Grand Rapids, MI ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,251 in Grand Rapids | $113,313 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
100 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
15 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Boston → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $136,550 | $95,660 | $108,395 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $107,520 | $121,834 (−26.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $76,270 | $86,424 (−13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $83,920 | $95,092 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.