City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 11.3% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $111,300 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.8% moving from Chicago, IL to Huntsville, AL ($118,984 → $110,847), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,842 in Huntsville | $111,306 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$70/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$70/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Chicago → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,279 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $77,772 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,216 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $110,847 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $130,987 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $62,250 | $69,288 (−11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $128,080 | $142,561 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $79,220 | $88,177 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $77,090 | $85,806 (−14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.