City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 3.9% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $103,900 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Gainesville, FL to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,215 in Huntsville | $103,934 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
81 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Gainesville → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $62,250 | $64,699 (+14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $128,080 | $133,118 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $79,220 | $82,336 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $77,090 | $80,122 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.