City comparison
Boston, MA vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 3.3% higher than in Minneapolis, MN. Someone earning $100,000 in Minneapolis, MN would need about $103,300 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 $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $497 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Boston, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Boston, MA to Minneapolis, MN ($120,548 → $116,038), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,819 in Minneapolis | $103,286 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$497/yr.
79 Strong offer
Minneapolis, MN → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$497/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Boston → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $67,290 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $81,415 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $97,582 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $116,038 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $137,123 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $79,730 | $82,350 (−16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $130,920 | $135,221 (−18.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $86,500 | $89,342 (−10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $103,040 | $106,425 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.