City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Corpus Christi, TX (92.7) and Huntsville, AL (93.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX goes as far as $100,400 in Huntsville, AL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX 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 Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.6% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Huntsville, AL ($106,955 → $110,847), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,433 in Huntsville | $99,569 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,136/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 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
67 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Corpus Christi, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Corpus Christi → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $64,279 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $77,772 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $93,216 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $110,847 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $130,987 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $62,250 | $61,982 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $128,080 | $127,528 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $79,220 | $78,879 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $77,090 | $76,758 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.