City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 4.2% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $104,200 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL and $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $816 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Huntsville, AL to Milwaukee, WI ($110,847 → $111,310), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,153 in Milwaukee | $96,013 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$816/yr.
56 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$816/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Huntsville → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $64,548 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $78,098 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $93,606 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $111,310 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $131,535 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $61,480 | $59,029 (−5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $123,730 | $118,797 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $80,290 | $77,089 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $97,360 | $93,478 (+21.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.