City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 19.4% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $119,400 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Huntsville, AL to Seattle, WA ($110,847 → $119,630), while prices change by +19.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,405 in Seattle | $83,748 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Seattle, WA | Real change, Huntsville → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $69,373 | −9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $83,935 | −9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $100,602 | −9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $119,630 | −9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $141,367 | −9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $102,920 | $86,194 (+38.5%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $167,280 | $140,094 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $99,370 | $83,221 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $128,260 | $107,416 (+39.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.