City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 1.6% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $101,600 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- Both are in AL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,735 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Birmingham, AL to Huntsville, AL ($107,510 → $110,847), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,558 in Huntsville | $98,466 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
64 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Birmingham → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $64,279 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $77,772 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $93,216 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $110,847 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $130,987 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $62,250 | $61,295 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $128,080 | $126,115 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $79,220 | $78,005 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $77,090 | $75,907 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.