City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 4.5% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $104,500 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL and $1,097 in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,467 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Jackson, MS ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,676 in Jackson | $104,519 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,467/yr.
83 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,467/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Jackson, MS | Real change, Huntsville → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $50,240 | $52,510 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $96,990 | $101,373 (−20.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $70,720 | $73,916 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $82,630 | $86,364 (+12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.