City comparison
Boulder, CO 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 Boulder, CO are 10.1% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $110,100 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 $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $308 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Grand Rapids, MI ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,821 in Grand Rapids | $110,106 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,278/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$308/yr.
100 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$308/yr.
35 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Boulder → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $95,660 | $105,328 (−32.0%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $107,520 | $118,386 (−28.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $76,270 | $83,978 (−16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $83,920 | $92,401 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.