City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 4.8% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $104,800 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI and $1,238 in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $308 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Greeley, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,846 in Greeley | $95,378 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$308/yr.
54 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$308/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Greeley, CO | Real change, Grand Rapids → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $60,160 | $57,379 (−7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $129,480 | $123,496 (+14.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $87,240 | $83,208 (+9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $96,300 | $91,849 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.