City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Flint, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 2.6% higher than in Flint, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Flint, MI would need about $102,600 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, 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 Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Flint, MI ($111,065 → $117,402), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Flint, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,449 in Flint | $102,617 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,880 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Flint, MI MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Flint, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Flint |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 74.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 97.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Flint, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
77 Strong offer
Flint, MI → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Flint, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Flint, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Flint, MI | Real change, Columbus → Flint |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,081 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $82,372 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $98,729 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $117,402 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $138,734 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Flint, MI | Flint pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $65,620 | $67,337 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $101,750 | $104,413 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $74,500 | $76,450 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $97,780 | $100,339 (+19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.