City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 8.7% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $108,700 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL ($110,865 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,981 in Tuscaloosa | $108,718 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
96 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Cincinnati → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $62,344 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $75,431 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $90,410 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $107,510 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $127,044 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,220 | $65,470 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $104,870 | $114,013 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $71,690 | $77,940 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $75,250 | $81,811 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.