City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 7.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $107,100 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Cleveland, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL ($111,138 → $107,510), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,398 in Tuscaloosa | $107,069 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
91 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Cleveland → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,344 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,431 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $90,410 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $107,510 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $127,044 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $60,220 | $64,477 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $104,870 | $112,283 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $71,690 | $76,758 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $75,250 | $80,569 (−4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.