City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 15.8% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $115,800 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Eugene, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.0% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,368 in Tuscaloosa | $115,784 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Eugene → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +17.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +17.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +17.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +17.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +17.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $60,220 | $69,725 (+8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $104,870 | $121,423 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $71,690 | $83,006 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $75,250 | $87,127 (−23.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.