City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Lansing, MI (95.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $99,600 in Lansing, MI.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH and $1,012 in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Lansing, 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 Lansing, MI ($110,865 → $117,402), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,603 in Lansing | $100,399 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,012/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $52,800 |
| 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 Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Lansing, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
70 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Lansing, MI | Real change, Cincinnati → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $68,081 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $82,372 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $98,729 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $117,402 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $138,734 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $72,930 | $73,221 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $97,120 | $97,507 (−19.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,210 | $79,526 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $84,320 | $84,656 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.