City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lansing, MI are 1.1% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $101,100 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.6% moving from Cleveland, OH to Lansing, MI ($111,138 → $117,402), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,137 in Lansing | $98,876 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Lansing, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
65 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Lansing, MI | Real change, Cleveland → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,081 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $82,372 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $98,729 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $117,402 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $138,734 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $72,930 | $72,110 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $97,120 | $96,028 (−13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,210 | $78,319 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $84,320 | $83,372 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.