City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 9.7% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $109,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Grand Rapids, MI | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,708 in Minneapolis | $91,151 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,277/yr.
41 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,277/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Grand Rapids, MI to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Grand Rapids → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $79,730 | $72,674 (+17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $130,920 | $119,335 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $86,500 | $78,845 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $103,040 | $93,922 (+11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.