City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 1.1% higher than in Olympia, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Olympia, WA would need about $101,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Olympia, WA ($116,038 → $119,630), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,901 in Olympia | $101,111 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,277/yr.
71 Strong offer
Olympia, WA → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$5,277/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Olympia, WA | Real change, Minneapolis → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $69,373 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $83,935 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $100,602 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $119,630 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $141,367 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $104,650 | $105,813 (+32.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $124,060 | $125,439 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $94,470 | $95,520 (+10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $125,020 | $126,409 (+22.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.