City comparison
Boston, MA vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 16.3% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $116,300 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.0% moving from Boston, MA to Huntsville, AL ($120,548 → $110,847), while prices change by −14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,966 in Huntsville | $116,325 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.0%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Boston → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,279 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,772 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,216 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $110,847 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $130,987 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $62,250 | $72,412 (−26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $128,080 | $148,989 (−10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,220 | $92,153 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $77,090 | $89,675 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.