City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 2.2% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $102,200 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Raleigh, NC ($117,402 → $111,147), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,865 in Raleigh | $102,181 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
75 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Detroit → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,453 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,983 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,468 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,147 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,342 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $60,170 | $61,482 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $132,770 | $135,666 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $81,950 | $83,737 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $84,830 | $86,680 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.