City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 6.2% higher than in Lansing, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Lansing, MI would need about $106,200 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 $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- Both are in MI, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,999 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $117,402 in either. A transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Lansing, MI changes real buying power by +6.2%, purely from prices.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,162 in Lansing | $106,200 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Lansing, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
88 Strong offer
Lansing, MI → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Lansing, MI | Real change, Ann Arbor → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,081 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $82,372 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $98,729 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $117,402 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $138,734 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $72,930 | $77,451 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $97,120 | $103,141 (−18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,210 | $84,121 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $84,320 | $89,547 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.