City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 3.6% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $103,600 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Wilmington, NC ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,599 in Wilmington | $96,526 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
58 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Huntsville → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $48,240 | $46,564 (−25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $123,730 | $119,431 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $77,920 | $75,213 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $80,970 | $78,157 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.