City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.2% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $108,200 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX and $1,122 in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.8% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Detroit, MI ($106,955 → $117,402), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Corpus Christi, TX | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,230 in Detroit | $92,396 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
45 Weak offer
Detroit, MI → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Detroit, MI | Real change, Corpus Christi → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $68,081 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $82,372 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $98,729 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $117,402 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $138,734 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $65,210 | $60,251 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $130,760 | $120,817 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $80,650 | $74,517 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $97,280 | $89,882 (+8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.