City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 2.3% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $102,300 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,323 in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Houston, TX ($117,402 → $122,749), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (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 | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,769 in Houston | $102,282 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
76 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Houston, TX | Real change, Ann Arbor → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $71,181 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $86,123 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $103,225 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $122,749 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $145,052 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $64,500 | $65,972 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $129,440 | $132,394 (+4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $85,090 | $87,032 (+8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $99,830 | $102,108 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.