City comparison
Houston, TX vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 6.3% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $106,300 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,323 in Houston, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 20% in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.5% moving from Houston, TX to Minneapolis, MN ($122,749 → $116,038), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.1% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
- 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
| Houston, TX | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,279 in Minneapolis | $94,092 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$5,277/yr.
50 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$5,277/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Houston → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $67,290 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $81,415 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $97,582 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $116,038 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $137,123 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $79,730 | $75,019 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $130,920 | $123,185 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $86,500 | $81,389 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $103,040 | $96,952 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.