City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 14.4% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $114,400 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $542 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Birmingham, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Birmingham, AL to Minneapolis, MN ($107,510 → $116,038), while prices change by +14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,380 in Minneapolis | $87,428 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$542/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$542/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Birmingham → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $67,290 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $81,415 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $97,582 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $116,038 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $137,123 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $79,730 | $69,707 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $130,920 | $114,461 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $86,500 | $75,625 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $103,040 | $90,086 (+14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.