City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Grand Rapids, MI (95.5) and St. Louis, MO (95.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI goes as far as $99,500 in St. Louis, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,521 in St. Louis | $100,482 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$237/yr.
70 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Grand Rapids, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$237/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Grand Rapids → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $60,650 | $60,942 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $129,030 | $129,651 (+20.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $78,880 | $79,260 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $83,180 | $83,581 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.