City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 6.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $106,300 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Montgomery, AL ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,036 in Montgomery | $106,342 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $870/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 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
89 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Cincinnati → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $59,610 | $63,391 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $110,620 | $117,636 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $75,040 | $79,799 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $79,570 | $84,617 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.