City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 11.6% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $111,600 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Kennewick, WA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Kennewick, WA to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +11.6%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,611 in Montgomery | $111,593 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Kennewick → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $59,610 | $66,521 (−33.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $110,620 | $123,444 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $75,040 | $83,740 (−10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $79,570 | $88,795 (−16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.