City comparison
Durham, NC vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 2.7% higher than in Lansing, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Lansing, MI would need about $102,700 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.6% moving from Durham, NC to Lansing, MI ($111,147 → $117,402), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,355 in Lansing | $102,717 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Lansing, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
77 Strong offer
Lansing, MI → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Lansing, MI | Real change, Durham → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,081 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $82,372 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $98,729 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $117,402 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $138,734 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $72,930 | $74,912 (+45.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $97,120 | $99,759 (−26.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $79,210 | $81,362 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $84,320 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.