City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 1.6% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $101,600 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,065 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Lincoln, NE ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,398 in Lincoln | $101,628 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,065/yr.
74 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,065/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Huntsville → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $61,940 | $62,948 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $101,690 | $103,346 (−19.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $65,170 | $66,231 (−16.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $87,530 | $88,955 (+15.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.