City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 19.5% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $119,500 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $542 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Tuscaloosa, AL ($116,038 → $107,510), while prices change by −16.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.7% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,687 in Tuscaloosa | $119,493 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $972/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$542/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; 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; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Minneapolis → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $62,344 | +10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $75,431 | +10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $90,410 | +10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $107,510 | +10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $127,044 | +10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $60,220 | $71,959 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $104,870 | $125,313 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $71,690 | $85,665 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $75,250 | $89,919 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.