City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 8.4% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $108,400 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $736 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.6% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Huntsville, AL ($117,402 → $110,847), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,260 in Huntsville | $108,389 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$736/yr.
95 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$736/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Ann Arbor → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,279 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,772 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,216 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $110,847 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $130,987 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $62,250 | $67,472 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $128,080 | $138,825 (+9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,220 | $85,866 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $77,090 | $83,557 (−19.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.