City comparison
Madison, WI vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 8.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $108,500 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $816 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Madison, WI.
- 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 Madison, WI to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +8.5%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Madison, WI | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,183 in Montgomery | $108,480 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$816/yr.
95 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$816/yr.
44 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 Madison, WI to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Madison → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $59,610 | $64,665 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $110,620 | $120,001 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $75,040 | $81,403 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $79,570 | $86,318 (−14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.