City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 16.9% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $116,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $542 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Montgomery, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Montgomery, AL ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.2% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,556 in Montgomery | $116,882 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$542/yr.
100 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$542/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Minneapolis → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $59,610 | $69,673 (−12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $110,620 | $129,295 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $75,040 | $87,708 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $79,570 | $93,003 (−9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.