City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Charlotte, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 3.6% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $103,600 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Charlotte, NC ($117,402 → $108,810), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Charlotte, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,499 in Charlotte | $103,628 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,538/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 97.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
80 Strong offer
Charlotte, NC → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Charlotte, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Charlotte, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Charlotte, NC | Real change, Ann Arbor → Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $63,098 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $76,343 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $91,503 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $108,810 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $128,581 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Charlotte, NC | Charlotte pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $58,680 | $60,809 (−5.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $135,920 | $140,851 (+11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $92,910 | $96,281 (+20.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $90,620 | $93,908 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.