City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Atlantic City, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 2.0% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $102,000 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $4,180 in NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Atlantic City, NJ ($117,402 → $117,284), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Atlantic City, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 98.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,995 in Atlantic City | $102,046 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $47,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 98.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 109.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 98.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
75 Strong offer
Atlantic City, NJ → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Atlantic City, NJ is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Atlantic City, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Atlantic City, NJ | Real change, Ann Arbor → Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,013 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $82,289 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $98,630 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $117,284 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $138,595 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Atlantic City, NJ | Atlantic City pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $80,480 | $82,127 (+28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $126,670 | $129,262 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $83,040 | $84,739 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $99,320 | $101,352 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.