City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Greensboro, NC (92.9) and Huntsville, AL (93.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Greensboro, NC goes as far as $100,200 in Huntsville, AL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Greensboro, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Greensboro, NC to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (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
| Greensboro, NC | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,223 in Huntsville | $99,778 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,136/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 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
68 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Greensboro, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC 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 Greensboro, NC to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Greensboro → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $62,250 | $62,112 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $128,080 | $127,795 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $79,220 | $79,044 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $77,090 | $76,919 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.