City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 11.0% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $111,000 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,444 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Huntsville, AL to Phoenix, AZ ($110,847 → $111,338), while prices change by +11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.5% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,007 in Phoenix | $90,085 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,444/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,444/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Huntsville → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $64,564 | −9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $78,117 | −9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $93,629 | −9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $111,338 | −9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $131,568 | −9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $59,180 | $53,312 (−14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $131,750 | $118,687 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $80,820 | $72,807 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $100,830 | $90,832 (+17.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.