City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 8.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $108,700 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Huntsville, AL ($118,675 → $110,847), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- 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
| Fort Collins, CO | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,034 in Huntsville | $108,656 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/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 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
96 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Fort Collins → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,279 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,772 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,216 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $110,847 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $130,987 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $62,250 | $67,638 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $128,080 | $139,166 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $79,220 | $86,077 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $77,090 | $83,763 (−14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.