City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 10.0% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $110,000 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Montgomery, AL ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- 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
| Harrisburg, PA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,909 in Montgomery | $110,000 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $870/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% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
100 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Harrisburg → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $59,610 | $65,571 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $110,620 | $121,682 (+11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $75,040 | $82,544 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $79,570 | $87,527 (−9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.