City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.8% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $108,800 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,154 in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Memphis, TN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,905 in Memphis | $108,808 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
96 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Memphis, TN | Real change, Detroit → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $61,510 | $66,928 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $125,580 | $136,641 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $76,960 | $83,739 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $81,500 | $88,678 (−8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.