City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 4.5% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $104,500 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Detroit, MI to Minneapolis, MN ($117,402 → $116,038), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,511 in Minneapolis | $95,684 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,277/yr.
55 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,277/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Detroit → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $67,290 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $81,415 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $97,582 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $116,038 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $137,123 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $79,730 | $76,289 (+17.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $130,920 | $125,270 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $86,500 | $82,767 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $103,040 | $98,593 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.