City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 17.8% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $117,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $496 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Wichita, KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Wichita, KS ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,854 in Wichita | $117,849 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$496/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$496/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Wichita, KS | Real change, Minneapolis → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $58,640 | $69,107 (−13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $105,980 | $124,896 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $79,270 | $93,419 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $76,540 | $90,202 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.