City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 4.3% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $104,300 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Huntsville, AL to Rochester, NY ($110,847 → $107,182), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,258 in Rochester | $95,916 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
56 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Rochester, NY | Real change, Huntsville → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $62,155 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $75,202 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $90,135 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $107,182 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $126,657 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $62,840 | $60,274 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $122,770 | $117,756 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $80,890 | $77,586 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $86,570 | $83,034 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.