City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Green Bay, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 2.6% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $102,600 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,919 in WI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Green Bay, WI changes real buying power by +2.6%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Green Bay, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,425 in Green Bay | $102,643 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $931/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $49,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Green Bay, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Green Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 74.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 90.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
77 Strong offer
Green Bay, WI → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Green Bay, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Green Bay, WI | Real change, Grand Rapids → Green Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Green Bay, WI | Green Bay pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $60,600 | $62,201 (+0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $103,160 | $105,886 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $77,720 | $79,774 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $84,700 | $86,938 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.