City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 4.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $104,200 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Columbus, GA to Huntsville, AL ($112,556 → $110,847), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,229 in Huntsville | $95,943 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$168/yr.
56 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$168/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Columbus → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,279 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,772 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,216 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $110,847 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $130,987 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $62,250 | $59,724 (−2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $128,080 | $122,884 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $79,220 | $76,006 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $77,090 | $73,962 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.