City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 1.3% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $101,300 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,355 in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,071 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.9% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Fresno, CA ($117,402 → $106,973), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,267 in Fresno | $98,749 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,071/yr.
65 Fair offer
Fresno, CA → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,071/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Fresno, CA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,033 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,055 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,959 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,973 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,410 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $78,800 | $77,814 (+21.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $129,060 | $127,445 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $78,690 | $77,706 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $125,420 | $123,851 (+19.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.