City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and Grand Rapids, MI (95.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $100,100 in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Grand Rapids, MI ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,081 in Grand Rapids | $99,919 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,278/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Grand Rapids, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
68 Fair offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Columbus → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,900 | $61,850 (−20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $107,520 | $107,433 (−12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $76,270 | $76,209 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $83,920 | $83,852 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.