City comparison
Deltona, FL vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Deltona, FL (99.4) and Detroit, MI (100.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Deltona, FL goes as far as $100,900 in Detroit, MI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,385 a month in Deltona, FL versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Deltona, FL and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Deltona, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Deltona, FL to Detroit, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Deltona, FL: price level 99.4 (about average)
- 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
| Deltona, FL | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,937 in Detroit | $99,072 in Deltona |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,385/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,940 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Deltona | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.4 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 87.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 99.4 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Deltona, FL → Detroit, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
66 Fair offer
Detroit, MI → Deltona, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Deltona, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Deltona, FL to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Deltona, FL | Detroit, MI | Real change, Deltona → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Deltona, FL | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Deltona dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,770 | $65,210 | $64,605 (+11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,000 | $130,760 | $129,546 (+6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,730 | $80,650 | $79,901 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,180 | $97,280 | $96,377 (+14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.