City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 2.3% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $102,300 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Clarksville, TN to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (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
| Clarksville, TN | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,337 in Huntsville | $97,717 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
62 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Clarksville → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $62,250 | $60,829 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $128,080 | $125,156 (+29.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $79,220 | $77,411 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $77,090 | $75,330 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.