City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 5.5% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $105,500 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Huntsville, AL to Raleigh, NC ($110,847 → $111,147), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,464 in Raleigh | $94,820 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
52 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Huntsville → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $64,453 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $77,983 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $93,468 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $111,147 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $131,342 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $60,170 | $57,053 (−8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $132,770 | $125,892 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $81,950 | $77,705 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $84,830 | $80,435 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.