City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 5.1% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $105,100 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Huntsville, AL to Richmond, VA ($110,847 → $111,183), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,142 in Richmond | $95,109 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$201/yr.
53 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$201/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Richmond, VA | Real change, Huntsville → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $64,475 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $78,009 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $93,499 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $111,183 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $131,385 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $61,290 | $58,292 (−6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $132,120 | $125,658 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $84,220 | $80,101 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $93,580 | $89,003 (+15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.