City comparison
Reno, NV vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 15.2% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $115,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.6% moving from Reno, NV to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,855 → $107,510), while prices change by −13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.9% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Reno, NV | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,841 in Tuscaloosa | $115,152 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Reno → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $62,344 | +15.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $75,431 | +15.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $90,410 | +15.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $107,510 | +15.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $127,044 | +15.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $60,220 | $69,345 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $104,870 | $120,760 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $71,690 | $82,553 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $75,250 | $86,652 (−19.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.