City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Green Bay, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 13.0% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $113,000 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 $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,919 in WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Green Bay, WI ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Green Bay, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,483 in Green Bay | $113,016 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $931/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Green Bay, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Green Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 74.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 90.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
Green Bay, WI → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Green Bay, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Green Bay, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Green Bay, WI | Real change, Boulder → Green Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Green Bay, WI | Green Bay pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $60,600 | $68,488 (−15.1%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $103,160 | $116,587 (−29.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,720 | $87,836 (−12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $84,700 | $95,724 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.