City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 4.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $104,300 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Scranton, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Montgomery, AL to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −4.1%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Montgomery, AL | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,320 in Scranton | $95,859 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
56 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
82 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Montgomery, AL to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Scranton, PA | Real change, Montgomery → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $113,270 | $100,210 | $96,060 (−15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $119,960 | $114,993 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $70,480 | $67,562 (−10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $82,650 | $79,228 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.