City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Huntsville, AL (93.1) and Myrtle Beach, SC (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Huntsville, AL goes as far as $100,600 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,229 a month in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Myrtle Beach, SC ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,612 in Myrtle Beach | $99,391 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Myrtle Beach, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
67 Fair offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Huntsville → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $74,520 | $74,066 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $80,640 | $80,149 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.