City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 10.0% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $110,000 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $851 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA ($117,402 → $107,301), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,901 in Des Moines | $110,010 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$851/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$851/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,223 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,284 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $90,234 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $107,301 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,797 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $61,650 | $67,821 (+5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $126,460 | $139,118 (+9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,290 | $87,227 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $78,630 | $86,501 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.