City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 13.3% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $113,300 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Huntsville, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.5% moving from Huntsville, AL to Portland, OR ($110,847 → $114,684), while prices change by +13.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.7% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,268 in Portland | $88,286 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Portland, OR | Real change, Huntsville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $66,505 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $80,465 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $96,443 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $114,684 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $135,522 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $82,330 | $72,686 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $156,000 | $137,726 (+7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $92,200 | $81,400 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $130,310 | $115,046 (+49.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.