City comparison
Durham, NC vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 8.8% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $108,800 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Montgomery, AL ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,914 in Montgomery | $108,798 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
96 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Durham → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $59,610 | $64,854 (+26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $110,620 | $120,352 (−11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,040 | $81,642 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $79,570 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.