City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Eugene, OR (101.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $100,700 in Eugene, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,921 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Eugene, OR ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (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 | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,682 in Eugene | $99,323 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,921/yr.
67 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,921/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Eugene, OR | Real change, Ann Arbor → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $64,260 | $63,825 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $121,050 | $120,230 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,930 | $79,389 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $113,720 | $112,950 (+9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.