Huntsville cost of living
Prices in the Huntsville, AL metro area run at 93.1 against a national average of 100, ranking it #207 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 77.9.
What drives the number
Prices in Huntsville run at 93.1 where the national average is 100, so about 6.9 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #207 of 387 metro areas. Against Alabama as a whole it is 4.3 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 77.9 against goods at 96.4 and other services at 83.9, so the overall figure of 93.1 understates how affordable the housing itself is. That combination, ordinary prices with cheap rent, is what people are usually looking for and rarely find.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 93.1 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Huntsville is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 7,380 | $44,870 | $48,195 | $42,210 |
| Software Developers | 7,010 | $121,320 | $130,311 | $133,080 |
| Retail Salespersons | 6,860 | $31,210 | $33,523 | $34,580 |
| Registered Nurses | 6,590 | $66,030 | $70,924 | $93,600 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 5,010 | $34,020 | $36,541 | $37,090 |
| Cashiers | 4,630 | $28,170 | $30,258 | $31,190 |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4,580 | $139,110 | $149,420 | $134,830 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,490 | $26,710 | $28,690 | $30,480 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 93.1.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | 94.7 | 89.2 | #172 |
| Birmingham | 91.6 | 71.9 | #254 |
| Montgomery | 89.7 | 64.3 | #295 |
| Columbus | 89.3 | 61.2 | #304 |
| Mobile | 88.1 | 60.1 | #333 |
| Auburn-Opelika | 87.9 | 62.1 | #338 |
Huntsville: common questions
Is Huntsville expensive?
Prices are 6.9% below the national average, a parity of 93.1 where the country is 100. It ranks #207 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Alabama as a whole it is 4.3 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Huntsville?
The median worker there earns $50,470, which buys what $54,211 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 77.9 against goods at 96.4. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.