City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 4.6% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $104,600 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 $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Lubbock, TX.
- 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 Lubbock, TX changes real buying power by +4.6%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,574 in Lubbock | $104,631 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Lubbock, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
83 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
55 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 Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Grand Rapids → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $59,220 | $61,963 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $115,190 | $120,525 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $74,390 | $77,835 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $81,480 | $85,253 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.