City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Huntington, WV (88.4) and Tuscaloosa, AL (87.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Huntington, WV goes as far as $99,200 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $972 a month in Tuscaloosa, AL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tuscaloosa, AL and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $850 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Huntington, WV to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Huntington, WV | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,208 in Tuscaloosa | $100,798 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Tuscaloosa, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$850/yr.
71 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Huntington, WV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$850/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV 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 Huntington, WV to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Huntington → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $60,220 | $60,701 (+5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $104,870 | $105,707 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $71,690 | $72,262 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $75,250 | $75,850 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.