City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 2.5% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $102,500 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI and $1,221 in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Greenville, SC changes real buying power by +2.5%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,607 in Greenville | $102,451 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
76 Strong offer
Greenville, SC → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Greenville, SC | Real change, Grand Rapids → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $60,680 | $62,167 (+0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $121,790 | $124,775 (+16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $76,870 | $78,754 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $81,400 | $83,395 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.