City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 12.6% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $112,600 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $542 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Huntsville, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.7% moving from Huntsville, AL to Minneapolis, MN ($110,847 → $116,038), while prices change by +12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,625 in Minneapolis | $88,791 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$542/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$542/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Huntsville → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $67,290 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $81,415 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $97,582 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $116,038 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $137,123 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $79,730 | $70,793 (+13.7%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $130,920 | $116,245 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $86,500 | $76,804 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $103,040 | $91,490 (+18.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.