City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 3.8% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $103,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Reno, NV ($116,038 → $106,855), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,367 in Reno | $103,770 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,277/yr.
81 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$5,277/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Reno, NV | Real change, Minneapolis → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,965 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,972 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,859 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,855 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $126,271 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $62,430 | $64,783 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $125,710 | $130,449 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $82,370 | $85,475 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $107,520 | $111,573 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.