City comparison
Flint, MI vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Flint, MI (93.0) and Memphis, TN (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Flint, MI goes as far as $99,100 in Memphis, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 14% in Flint, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Flint, MI than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Flint, MI to Memphis, TN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (cheaper)
- 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
| Flint, MI | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,081 in Memphis | $100,928 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/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 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
72 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, 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 Flint, MI to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Memphis, TN | Real change, Flint → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $61,510 | $62,081 (−5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $125,580 | $126,745 (+24.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $76,960 | $77,674 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $81,500 | $82,256 (−15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.