City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 2.6% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $102,600 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Huntsville, AL ($111,065 → $110,847), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,489 in Huntsville | $102,575 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,136/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 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
77 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Columbus → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $64,279 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $77,772 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $93,216 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $110,847 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $130,987 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $62,250 | $63,853 (−18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $128,080 | $131,379 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,220 | $81,260 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $77,090 | $79,075 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.