City comparison
South Bend, IN vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 5.9% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $105,900 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,815 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from South Bend, IN to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (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
| South Bend, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,469 in Tuscaloosa | $105,855 in South Bend |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,105/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,540 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | South Bend | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.6 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.7 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
South Bend, IN → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,815/yr.
87 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → South Bend, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,815/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
South Bend, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from South Bend, IN to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | South Bend, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, South Bend → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | South Bend, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in South Bend dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,180 | $60,220 | $63,746 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $95,500 | $104,870 | $111,010 (+16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $71,690 | $75,887 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,540 | $75,250 | $79,656 (−14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.