City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 2.1% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $102,100 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $929 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by +2.1%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,917 in Scranton | $102,127 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$929/yr.
75 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$929/yr.
62 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Scranton, PA | Real change, Grand Rapids → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $95,660 | $100,210 | $102,342 (+7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $119,960 | $122,512 (+13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $70,480 | $71,979 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $82,650 | $84,408 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.