City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 4.6% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $104,600 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,780 in KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Wichita, KS ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,567 in Wichita | $104,639 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $849/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 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
83 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Wichita, KS | Real change, Huntsville → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $58,640 | $61,360 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $105,980 | $110,896 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $79,270 | $82,947 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $76,540 | $80,091 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.