City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 3.0% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $103,000 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,192 a year in ID and $3,999 in MI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Boise City, ID to Grand Rapids, MI changes real buying power by +3.0%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,108 in Grand Rapids | $102,978 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$192/yr.
78 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$192/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Boise City → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,900 | $63,743 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $107,520 | $110,722 (−15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $76,270 | $78,541 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $83,920 | $86,419 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.