City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 4.2% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $104,200 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,395 in Stockton, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,071 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Stockton, CA ($117,402 → $133,060), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.8% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,172 in Stockton | $95,995 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,071/yr.
56 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,071/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Stockton, CA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $77,161 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $93,358 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $111,896 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $133,060 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $157,236 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $97,400 | $93,499 (+46.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $138,550 | $133,001 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $83,570 | $80,223 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $134,580 | $129,190 (+24.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.