City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Baltimore, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 3.6% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $103,600 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $387 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Baltimore, MD ($117,402 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 104.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,576 in Baltimore | $96,548 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,511/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $59,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 118.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 102.4 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 110.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 101.5 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 104.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$387/yr.
58 Fair offer
Baltimore, MD → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$387/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Baltimore, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Baltimore, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Baltimore, MD | Real change, Ann Arbor → Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $70,623 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $85,447 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $102,415 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $121,785 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $143,913 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $76,400 | $73,763 (+15.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $138,900 | $134,105 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $85,160 | $82,220 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $99,550 | $96,113 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.