City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 8.4% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $108,400 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $995 a month in St. Louis, MO and $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $972 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Tuscaloosa, AL ($109,137 → $107,510), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,253 in Tuscaloosa | $108,397 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$972/yr.
95 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$972/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, St. Louis → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $62,344 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $75,431 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $90,410 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $107,510 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $127,044 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $60,220 | $65,277 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $104,870 | $113,676 (−11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $71,690 | $77,710 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $75,250 | $81,569 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.