City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 7.5% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $107,500 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Atlanta, GA to Huntsville, AL ($112,556 → $110,847), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,018 in Huntsville | $107,506 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$168/yr.
92 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$168/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Atlanta → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,279 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,772 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,216 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $110,847 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $130,987 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $62,250 | $66,922 (−12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $128,080 | $137,694 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $79,220 | $85,166 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $77,090 | $82,876 (−17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.