City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 5.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $105,700 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Boise City, ID to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,594 in Huntsville | $105,715 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
87 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Boise City → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $62,250 | $65,808 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $128,080 | $135,400 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $79,220 | $83,747 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $77,090 | $81,496 (−16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.