City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Montgomery, AL are 4.3% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $104,300 in Montgomery, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $866 a month in Brownsville, TX and $870 in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Brownsville, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by −4.1%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,312 in Montgomery | $95,867 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Montgomery, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
56 Fair offer
Montgomery, AL → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Brownsville → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $59,610 | $57,146 (−9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $110,620 | $106,048 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $75,040 | $71,938 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $79,570 | $76,281 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.