City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 11.4% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $111,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Salem, 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 Salem, OR ($110,847 → $114,684), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,364 in Salem | $89,795 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,201/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; 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; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Salem, OR | Real change, Huntsville → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $66,505 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $80,465 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $96,443 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $114,684 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $135,522 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $74,810 | $67,176 (+7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $131,620 | $118,189 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $87,480 | $78,553 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $131,750 | $118,305 (+53.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.