Detroit
$74,930
$100k · rank #20 · 25.1%
- Federal
- $13,170
- State
- $4,250
- Local
- $0
- FICA
- $7,650
- COL index
- 102
2026Detroit vs Houston Take-Home
At $100,000 single (2026), Houston keeps about $79,180 vs $74,930 in Detroit — a $4,250 annual take-home gap. State (and modeled local) income tax plus FICA/SDI drive the paycheck. Note: Detroit — Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Higher take-home
Houston keeps more
$79,180 vs $74,930, a $4,250 difference.
Side-by-side scoreboard
Houston
$79,180
$100k · rank #3 · 20.8%
- Federal
- $13,170
- State
- $0
- Local
- $0
- FICA
- $7,650
- COL index
- 94
Key takeaways
- At $100,000 single (2026), Houston keeps about $79,180 vs $74,930 in Detroit — a $4,250 annual take-home gap. State (and modeled local) income tax plus FICA/SDI drive the paycheck. Note: Detroit — Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
- Detroit (MI) vs Houston (TX) — state (and local) income tax plus payroll create the gap.
- Federal ≈ $13,170 (Detroit) vs $13,170 (Houston); state ≈ $4,250 vs $0.
- FICA ≈ $7,650 vs $7,650.
- Ranks: Detroit #20 · Houston #3 among 34 metros on this hub.
- Personalize filing status and deductions in each state calculator.
How to read Detroit vs Houston
Both columns use the same $100,000 single-filer vignette for 2026: federal + state income tax (+ NYC city tax when modeled) + employee FICA + state SDI/PFML when applicable.
The $4,250 gap is state (and modeled local) income tax plus payroll — not rent. Houston ranks #3; Detroit ranks #20 on the national metro hub.
Local caveat: Detroit — Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
What drives US metro paycheck gaps
Employees are taxed by state of residence (and sometimes city) for wage income — federal brackets apply nationwide. NYC is the only metro on this hub with a separately modeled city PIT.
Detroit models about $4,250 state tax and $7,650 FICA. Houston models about $0 and $7,650 FICA.
Same-state pairs (e.g. San Francisco–Los Angeles) should match take-home; no-PIT corridors (Austin–Miami) also tie. Cross-state corridors (NYC–Austin, SF–Seattle) are where bracket and payroll differences appear.
Why the income ladder matters
At $50k the modeled gap between these metros is about $2,125; at $200k it is about $8,500. Bracket thresholds and FICA/SDI ceilings can reorder winners as salary rises.
Use the ladder before accepting an offer at a different gross — a metro that wins at $100k may not win at $150k or $200k.
Open /calculator/us/michigan or /calculator/us/texas to personalize filing status, dependents, and retirement deferrals.
Cost of living vs take-home
Detroit COL index 102 · COL-adjusted proxy $73,461. Houston COL index 94 · proxy $84,234.
COL-adjusted take-home is a purchasing-power hint from relocation indexes — not IRS withholding and not a substitute for rent quotes or a budget.
A higher take-home metro can still feel tighter if housing dominates; pair this compare with the relocation salary calculator.
Limitations of this compare
Single filer, standard deduction, no 401(k), no dependents, no stock options, no remote multi-state income sourcing.
Unmodeled local taxes: Detroit — Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
Engine last aligned for hub review 2026-08-11. Figures are educational vignettes — not advice.
Tax stack layers
Federal income tax
IRS brackets and standard deduction. Modeled: Detroit $13,170 · Houston $13,170.
State income tax
State withholding for Michigan vs Texas. Modeled: Detroit $4,250 (MI) · Houston $0 (TX).
Local / city income tax
No separately modeled local PIT on these columns. Caveat: Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette. Real resident take-home may be lower.
FICA
Employee Social Security + Medicare (+ Additional Medicare when applicable). Modeled: Detroit $7,650 · Houston $7,650.
COL index
Detroit 102 · Houston 94 (100 = national average). COL-adjusted proxies: $73,461 vs $84,234.
Income ladder comparison
Same gross bands, single filer — gaps grow or shrink with state brackets and payroll caps.
| Gross | Detroit | Houston | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,230 | $42,355 | $2,125 |
| $75,000 | $58,405 | $61,593 | $3,188 |
| $100,000 | $74,930 | $79,180 | $4,250 |
| $150,000 | $107,416 | $113,791 | $6,375 |
| $200,000 | $140,427 | $148,927 | $8,500 |
Decision guides
Cross-state offer
Model both state calculators at the offer gross. At $100k the gap is $4,250; the ladder shows whether it grows or shrinks.
Job offer negotiation
Ask for the work state (and city residency rules) on the contract. A MI vs TX posting can change take-home more than the skyline name.
High COL destination
If relocating to the higher-COL metro (Detroit), stress-test rent against take-home — tax wins do not automatically fund housing.
What this compare excludes
- 401(k), IRA, HSA, and other pre-tax deferrals
- Dependents, credits, and itemized deductions beyond the standard single-filer stack
- RSUs, ISOs, ESPP, and other stock compensation
- Remote workers with multi-state income sourcing
- Unmodeled local wage taxes (Philadelphia Wage Tax, Detroit city PIT, Ohio municipal, Pittsburgh EIT/LST)
- Employer benefits, union dues, and commuting subsidies
- Detroit: Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
Myths vs reality
“Every big city has a NYC-style city income tax.”
Detroit and Houston do not add modeled city PIT. Gaps come from state tax and payroll. Caveat: Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
“The higher take-home city always feels richer.”
COL indexes (102 vs 94) can erase or reverse the cash advantage. Pair tax with rent before relocating.
“Texas and Florida take-home always matches Washington.”
Washington has no wage PIT, but employee PFML can trim take-home below the TX/FL/NV cluster — check the SDI/PFML line on the scoreboard.
“COL-adjusted take-home is my real paycheck.”
It is a purchasing-power proxy only. Tax returns care about taxable wages and credits — not our relocation COL index.
How to use this comparison
Step 1
Read the scoreboard
Compare take-home, effective levy, and the federal / state / local / FICA split for both metros.
Step 2
Scan the income ladder
Confirm whether the $100k winner still leads at $50k, $150k, and $200k.
Step 3
Check same-state vs cross-state
Attribute the gap to state (and modeled local) rules plus payroll, not rent alone.
Step 4
Personalize
Run custom gross and filing status in the Michigan and Texas calculators.
Compare another pair
Compare any two metros
Take-home on $100,000 single — state rules, FICA, and modeled local tax.
Related tools
Detroit paycheck calculatorPersonalize Michigan take-homeHouston paycheck calculatorPersonalize Texas take-home$100k take-home by stateSame vignette ranked across all 50 statesSalary comparison by stateTake-home ladders beyond $100kRelocation salary calculatorCity COL + equivalent salaryReal raise by state5% after tax + CPI by state
Detroit vs Houston FAQs
Houston by about $4,250/year on this vignette.
Detroit city income tax is NOT subtracted here (commonly 2.4% resident / 1.2% nonresident on city wages). City residents keep less than this MI-only vignette.
COL indexes here are 102 (Detroit) vs 94 (Houston). COL is not subtracted from take-home — use it as a purchasing-power hint alongside rent quotes.
Single filer, $100,000 gross, 2026 — federal + state income tax (+ NYC city tax when modeled) + employee FICA + state SDI/PFML when applicable. No 401(k), dependents, or stock.
Federal income tax on this vignette is about $13,170 in Detroit vs $13,170 in Houston.
Detroit (MI): state ~$4,250. Houston (TX): state ~$0.
Often yes. Check the income ladder table on this page ($50k–$200k). Bracket thresholds, FICA caps, and SDI ceilings can reorder winners as salary rises.
401(k)/IRA deferrals, dependents, stock compensation, remote multi-state sourcing, and unmodeled local wage taxes (Philly Wage Tax, Detroit city PIT, Ohio municipal, Pittsburgh EIT/LST). See caveats for Detroit. Not tax advice.
Glossary
- Take-home pay
- Gross wages minus modeled federal income tax, state/DC income tax, NYC city tax when applicable, employee FICA, and state SDI/PFML when applicable.
- City wage tax
- A local income or earnings tax on wages. Only NYC is modeled here; Philly, Detroit, Ohio cities, and Pittsburgh disclose unmodeled local taxes.
- MSA
- Metropolitan Statistical Area — Census population ranks (2023) select which metros appear on this hub.
- FICA
- Employee Social Security (6.2% to the 2026 wage base) and Medicare (1.45%) — IRS Topic 751; same in every city.
- SDI / PFML
- State Disability Insurance or Paid Family & Medical Leave employee withholdings (e.g. CA SDI, WA/MA PFML, capped NY SDI).
- COL index
- Cost-of-living index from our relocation city table (100 = national average). Used for context after the paycheck.
- Effective employee levy
- (Gross − take-home) ÷ gross — the share of salary withheld in this vignette.
- Unmodeled local tax
- A real city/municipal wage tax that exists but is not subtracted in our engine — flagged in the city’s caveat.