City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 3.7% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $103,700 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +3.7%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,476 in Memphis | $103,653 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
80 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
58 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Memphis, TN | Real change, Grand Rapids → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $61,510 | $63,757 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $125,580 | $130,167 (+21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $76,960 | $79,771 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $81,500 | $84,477 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.