City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 19.9% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $119,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Tuscaloosa, AL ($118,675 → $107,510), while prices change by −16.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,384 in Tuscaloosa | $119,927 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Boulder → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,344 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,431 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,410 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,510 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $127,044 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $60,220 | $72,220 (−10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $104,870 | $125,767 (−23.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $71,690 | $85,975 (−14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $75,250 | $90,245 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.