City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 13.4% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $113,400 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Wichita, KS ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,170 in Wichita | $113,417 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Wichita, KS | Real change, Ann Arbor → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $58,640 | $66,508 (+3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $105,980 | $120,199 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,270 | $89,906 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $76,540 | $86,809 (−16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.