City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Detroit, MI (100.3) and Salt Lake City, UT (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Detroit, MI goes as far as $100,600 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $465 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Salt Lake City, UT ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,568 in Salt Lake City | $99,435 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$465/yr.
67 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Detroit, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$465/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Detroit → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $77,920 | $77,480 (+18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $129,600 | $128,868 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $82,100 | $81,636 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $85,890 | $85,405 (−12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.