City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greensboro, NC are 3.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $103,500 in Greensboro, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, 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 Greensboro, NC.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Greensboro, NC to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +3.5%, purely from prices.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (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
| Greensboro, NC | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,572 in Montgomery | $103,549 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/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 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
80 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Greensboro, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Greensboro, NC to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Greensboro → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $59,610 | $61,726 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $110,620 | $114,546 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $75,040 | $77,703 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $79,570 | $82,394 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.