City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 2.0% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $102,000 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 $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Peoria, IL ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,022 in Peoria | $102,018 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$70/yr.
75 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$70/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Peoria, IL | Real change, Huntsville → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $57,440 | $58,599 (−5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $130,590 | $133,225 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $79,540 | $81,145 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $81,010 | $82,645 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.