City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 3.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $103,500 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,815 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −3.4%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Montgomery, AL | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,541 in South Bend | $96,580 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → South Bend, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,815/yr.
58 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,815/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | South Bend, IN | Real change, Montgomery → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $58,180 | $56,190 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $95,500 | $92,234 (−16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $77,940 | $75,274 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $93,540 | $90,341 (+13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.