City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 3.0% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $103,000 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Huntsville, AL ($111,301 → $110,847), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,108 in Huntsville | $102,978 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
78 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Buffalo → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $64,279 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $77,772 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $93,216 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $110,847 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $130,987 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $62,250 | $64,104 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $128,080 | $131,895 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,220 | $81,579 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $77,090 | $79,386 (−19.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.