City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 5.2% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $105,200 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.9% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Detroit, MI ($110,865 → $117,402), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,167 in Detroit | $95,087 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
53 Fair offer
Detroit, MI → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Detroit, MI | Real change, Cincinnati → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $68,081 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $82,372 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $98,729 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $117,402 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $138,734 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $65,210 | $62,006 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $130,760 | $124,335 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $80,650 | $76,687 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $97,280 | $92,500 (+10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.