City comparison
Detroit, MI vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.0% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $108,000 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,105 in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to South Bend, IN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,582 in South Bend | $108,012 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
94 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | South Bend, IN | Real change, Detroit → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $58,180 | $62,842 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $95,500 | $103,152 (−21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $77,940 | $84,185 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $93,540 | $101,035 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.