City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 3.8% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $103,800 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Both are in AL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,735 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Montgomery, AL ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (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
| Huntsville, AL | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,358 in Montgomery | $103,780 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
81 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Huntsville → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $59,610 | $61,863 (−0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $110,620 | $114,801 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $75,040 | $77,877 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $79,570 | $82,578 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.