City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Spokane, WA (100.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $99,500 in Spokane, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.9% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Spokane, WA ($117,402 → $106,991), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (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 | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,471 in Spokane | $100,532 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,193/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Spokane, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
70 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Spokane, WA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,044 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,068 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,974 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,991 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,432 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $98,800 | $99,326 (+55.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $130,690 | $131,385 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $86,350 | $86,810 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $111,750 | $112,345 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.