City comparison
Denver, CO vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 13.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $113,700 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Denver, CO to Huntsville, AL ($118,675 → $110,847), while prices change by −12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,985 in Huntsville | $113,656 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Denver → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,279 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,772 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,216 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $110,847 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $130,987 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $62,250 | $70,751 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $128,080 | $145,571 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $79,220 | $90,038 (−10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $77,090 | $87,617 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.