City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.9% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $104,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $308 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Boulder, CO to Detroit, MI ($118,675 → $117,402), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,338 in Detroit | $104,889 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$308/yr.
84 Strong offer
Detroit, MI → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$308/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Detroit, MI | Real change, Boulder → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,081 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,372 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $98,729 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,402 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $138,734 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $65,210 | $68,398 (−15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $130,760 | $137,153 (−16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,650 | $84,593 (−15.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $97,280 | $102,036 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.