City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 13.3% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $113,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Anchorage, AK to Huntsville, AL ($120,348 → $110,847), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,287 in Huntsville | $113,267 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Anchorage → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,279 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,772 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,216 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $110,847 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $130,987 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $62,250 | $70,509 (−11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $128,080 | $145,073 (+39.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,220 | $89,730 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $77,090 | $87,318 (−24.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.