City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Boston, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 18.1% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $118,100 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Birmingham, AL to Boston, MA ($107,510 → $120,548), while prices change by +18.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Boston, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 108.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,138 in Boston | $84,647 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $2,476/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $66,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 148.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.6 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 108.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.4%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
15 Weak offer
Boston, MA → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Boston, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Boston, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Boston, MA | Real change, Birmingham → Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $69,905 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $84,579 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $101,375 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $120,548 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $142,452 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Boston, MA | Boston pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $115,520 | $136,550 | $115,586 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $166,090 | $140,590 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $100,150 | $84,774 (+7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $106,180 | $89,878 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.