City comparison
Flint, MI vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Flint, MI are 4.6% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $104,600 in Flint, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $856 a month in Flint, MI and $849 in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Flint, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Flint, MI to Wichita, KS ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Flint, MI | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,606 in Wichita | $104,596 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
83 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Flint, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Flint, MI to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Wichita, KS | Real change, Flint → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $58,640 | $61,335 (−6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $105,980 | $110,851 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $79,270 | $82,913 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $76,540 | $80,058 (−18.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.