City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 11.6% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $111,600 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Richmond, VA to Tuscaloosa, AL ($111,183 → $107,510), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,642 in Tuscaloosa | $111,555 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$201/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$201/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Richmond → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $62,344 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $75,431 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $90,410 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $107,510 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $127,044 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $60,220 | $67,178 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $104,870 | $116,987 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $71,690 | $79,974 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $75,250 | $83,945 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.