City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 6.0% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $106,000 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Huntsville, AL ($108,592 → $110,847), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,346 in Huntsville | $105,993 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
87 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Harrisburg → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $64,279 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $77,772 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $93,216 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $110,847 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $130,987 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $62,250 | $65,981 (−14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $128,080 | $135,756 (+24.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $79,220 | $83,968 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $77,090 | $81,710 (−15.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.