City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 1.3% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $101,300 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,065 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Omaha, NE ($110,847 → $107,501), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,753 in Omaha | $101,263 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,148/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,065/yr.
73 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,065/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Huntsville → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $62,339 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $75,425 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $90,402 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $107,501 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $127,033 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $62,670 | $63,462 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $125,220 | $126,802 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $77,030 | $78,003 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $84,600 | $85,669 (+11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.