City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Flint, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cleveland, OH (93.9) and Flint, MI (93.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cleveland, OH goes as far as $99,100 in Flint, MI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 14% in Flint, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Flint, MI than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.6% moving from Cleveland, OH to Flint, MI ($111,138 → $117,402), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 93.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,053 in Flint | $100,956 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $856/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% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $45,880 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Flint, MI MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Flint, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Flint |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 74.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 97.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 93.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
72 Strong offer
Flint, MI → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Flint, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Flint, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Flint, MI | Real change, Cleveland → Flint |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,081 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $82,372 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $98,729 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $117,402 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $138,734 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Flint, MI | Flint pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $65,620 | $66,247 (−13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $101,750 | $102,722 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $74,500 | $75,212 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $97,780 | $98,714 (+17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.