City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 9.8% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $109,800 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $335 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Huntsville, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.6% moving from Fresno, CA to Huntsville, AL ($106,973 → $110,847), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.7% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,106 in Huntsville | $109,762 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$335/yr.
99 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$335/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Fresno → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $64,279 | +13.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $77,772 | +13.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $93,216 | +13.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $110,847 | +13.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $130,987 | +13.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $62,250 | $68,327 (−13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $128,080 | $140,584 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,220 | $86,954 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $77,090 | $84,616 (−32.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.