City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 7.8% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $107,800 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $736 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.6% moving from Detroit, MI to Huntsville, AL ($117,402 → $110,847), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,795 in Huntsville | $107,764 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$736/yr.
93 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$736/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Detroit → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,279 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,772 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,216 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $110,847 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $130,987 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $62,250 | $67,083 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $128,080 | $138,024 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $79,220 | $85,371 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $77,090 | $83,075 (−14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.