City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.2% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $103,200 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Huntsville, AL to Springfield, MA ($110,847 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,211 in Springfield | $96,888 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
59 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Springfield, MA | Real change, Huntsville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $69,642 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $84,260 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $100,992 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $120,094 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $141,915 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $79,640 | $77,162 (+24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $127,740 | $123,765 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $92,010 | $89,147 (+12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $98,410 | $95,348 (+23.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.