City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 4.8% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $104,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $709 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Atlanta, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Atlanta, GA to Minneapolis, MN ($112,556 → $116,038), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,761 in Minneapolis | $95,455 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$709/yr.
55 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$709/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Atlanta → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $67,290 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $81,415 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $97,582 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $116,038 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $137,123 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $79,730 | $76,106 (−0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $130,920 | $124,970 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $86,500 | $82,569 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $103,040 | $98,357 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.