City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Huntsville, AL (93.1) and South Bend, IN (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Huntsville, AL goes as far as $99,800 in South Bend, IN.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL and $1,105 in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,815 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to South Bend, IN ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,770 in South Bend | $100,230 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,815/yr.
69 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,815/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | South Bend, IN | Real change, Huntsville → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $58,180 | $58,314 (−6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $95,500 | $95,720 (−25.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $77,940 | $78,120 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $93,540 | $93,756 (+21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.