City comparison
Albany, NY vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 7.0% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $107,000 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Albany, NY to Huntsville, AL ($109,810 → $110,847), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,478 in Huntsville | $106,977 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
91 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Albany → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $64,279 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,772 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $93,216 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $110,847 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $130,987 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $62,250 | $66,593 (−16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $128,080 | $137,017 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,220 | $84,747 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $77,090 | $82,469 (−17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.