City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 4.8% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $104,800 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Birmingham, AL to York, PA ($107,510 → $121,785), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,753 in York | $95,463 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
55 Fair offer
York, PA → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | York, PA | Real change, Birmingham → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $70,623 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $85,447 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $102,415 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $121,785 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $143,913 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | York, PA | York pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $79,730 | $76,112 (+21.5%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $114,600 | $109,400 (−12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $75,160 | $71,750 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $96,210 | $91,844 (+16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.