City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 4.1% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $104,100 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,444 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Huntsville, AL to Tucson, AZ ($110,847 → $108,455), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,109 in Tucson | $96,054 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,444/yr.
56 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,444/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Huntsville → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $62,893 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $76,095 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $91,205 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $108,455 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $128,162 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $47,220 | $45,356 (−27.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $123,710 | $118,828 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $76,320 | $73,308 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $94,110 | $90,396 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.