City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 5.1% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $105,100 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,016 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Green Bay, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Green Bay, WI to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Green Bay, WI | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,126 in Richmond | $95,124 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,016/yr.
54 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,016/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Green Bay, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Green Bay, WI to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Richmond, VA | Real change, Green Bay → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $61,290 | $58,301 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $132,120 | $125,677 (+21.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $84,220 | $80,113 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $93,580 | $89,017 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.