City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 11.8% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $111,800 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,999 in MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Grand Rapids, MI ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
- 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
| Bridgeport, CT | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,409 in Grand Rapids | $111,846 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
100 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Bridgeport → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $61,900 | $69,232 (−29.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $107,520 | $120,256 (−26.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $76,270 | $85,305 (−16.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $83,920 | $93,861 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.