City comparison
Canton, OH vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 4.1% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $104,100 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.3% moving from Canton, OH to Huntsville, AL ($111,138 → $110,847), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Canton, OH | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,100 in Huntsville | $96,061 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
56 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Canton → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,279 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,772 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,216 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $110,847 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $130,987 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $62,250 | $59,798 (−23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $128,080 | $123,035 (+16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $79,220 | $76,100 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $77,090 | $74,054 (−7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.