City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 8.6% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $108,600 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to South Bend, IN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,048 in South Bend | $108,639 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
96 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | South Bend, IN | Real change, Ann Arbor → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $58,180 | $63,206 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $95,500 | $103,750 (−18.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $77,940 | $84,673 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $93,540 | $101,621 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.