City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 1.1% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $101,100 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Winston, NC ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,894 in Winston | $101,118 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
72 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Winston, NC | Real change, Huntsville → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $56,510 | $57,142 (−8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $124,130 | $125,518 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $78,950 | $79,833 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $86,120 | $87,083 (+13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.