City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 10.2% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $110,200 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Seattle, WA ($117,402 → $119,630), while prices change by +10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,164 in Seattle | $90,774 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
29 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Seattle, WA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,373 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $83,935 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,602 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $119,630 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $141,367 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $102,920 | $93,425 (+45.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $167,280 | $151,847 (+19.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $99,370 | $90,202 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $128,260 | $116,427 (+12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.