City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 6.1% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $106,100 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.0% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to St. Louis, MO ($117,402 → $109,137), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,259 in St. Louis | $106,091 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$237/yr.
88 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$237/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Ann Arbor → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $63,288 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $76,573 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $91,779 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $109,137 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $128,967 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $60,650 | $64,344 (+0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $129,030 | $136,889 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $78,880 | $83,685 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $83,180 | $88,247 (−14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.