City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Detroit, MI (100.3) and Reno, NV (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Detroit, MI goes as far as $100,700 in Reno, NV.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.0% moving from Detroit, MI to Reno, NV ($117,402 → $106,855), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.6% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,714 in Reno | $99,291 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
67 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Detroit, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Reno, NV | Real change, Detroit → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,965 | −9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,972 | −9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,859 | −9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,855 | −9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,271 | −9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $62,430 | $61,987 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $125,710 | $124,819 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $82,370 | $81,786 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $107,520 | $106,758 (+9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.