City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 13.0% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $113,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Huntsville, AL ($118,675 → $110,847), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,470 in Huntsville | $113,033 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Boulder → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,279 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,772 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,216 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $110,847 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $130,987 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $62,250 | $70,363 (−12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $128,080 | $144,773 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,220 | $89,545 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $77,090 | $87,137 (−15.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.