City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 8.2% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $108,200 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,446 in Greenville | $108,171 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
94 Strong offer
Greenville, SC → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Greenville, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Greenville, SC | Real change, Ann Arbor → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $60,680 | $65,638 (+2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $121,790 | $131,741 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,870 | $83,151 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $81,400 | $88,051 (−14.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.