2026
Moving from Alabama?
Where you keep the most after tax and rent. The comparison starts in Birmingham, AL, the largest metro in Alabama on this site. One adult, one bedroom, $80,000 held the same in every city. State income tax there is $3,810 a year, and $2,027 a month is left after tax and rent.
No state income tax
The strongest leftover metro in each state that does not tax wages. The tax change is versus Alabama on $80,000.
- Anchorage, AK
$1,705/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Sebring, FL
$2,422/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Carson City, NV
$2,130/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Manchester, NH
$1,539/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Sioux Falls, SD
$2,549/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Morristown, TN
$2,592/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Lubbock, TX
$2,695/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Spokane, WA
$2,287/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
- Cheyenne, WY
$2,358/mo left · state tax −$3,810/yr
Where people from Alabama moved
IRS migration, 2022-2023. Outflows from metros in Alabama to metros in other states, summed. The move link starts in the city that sent the most returns on that route.
| Destination | Returns | People | State tax change | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GAfrom Birmingham | 2,102 | 3,280 | −$281/yr | $1,695/mo |
| Columbus, GAfrom Auburn | 958 | 1,887 | −$281/yr | $2,074/mo |
| Pensacola, FLfrom Daphne | 913 | 1,483 | −$3,810/yr | $2,125/mo |
| Nashville, TNfrom Birmingham | 823 | 1,043 | −$3,810/yr | $2,031/mo |
| Dallas, TXfrom Birmingham | 651 | 1,028 | −$3,810/yr | $2,130/mo |
| Houston, TXfrom Mobile | 613 | 1,050 | −$3,810/yr | $2,251/mo |
| Gulfport, MSfrom Mobile | 457 | 862 | −$391/yr | $2,104/mo |
| Washington, DCfrom Birmingham | 265 | 462 | +$149/yr | $1,041/mo |
| Panama City, FLfrom Dothan | 251 | 459 | −$3,810/yr | $2,072/mo |
| Tampa, FLfrom Birmingham | 243 | 421 | −$3,810/yr | $1,841/mo |
Where the paycheck goes furthest
Top 25 metros outside Alabama by monthly leftover on $80,000. Versus Birmingham.
| Rank | Metro | Left over | Vs Birmingham | State tax change | Paid to move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames, IA | $2,706/mo | +$679/mo | −$1,325/yr | — |
| 2 | Fargo, ND | $2,705/mo | +$678/mo | −$3,480/yr | — |
| 3 | Lubbock, TX | $2,695/mo | +$668/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 4 | Wichita Falls, TX | $2,685/mo | +$658/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 5 | McAllen, TX | $2,679/mo | +$652/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 6 | Longview, TX | $2,672/mo | +$645/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 7 | Amarillo, TX | $2,652/mo | +$625/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 8 | Grand Forks, ND | $2,646/mo | +$619/mo | −$3,480/yr | — |
| 9 | Davenport, IA | $2,636/mo | +$609/mo | −$1,325/yr | — |
| 10 | Texarkana, TX | $2,635/mo | +$608/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 11 | Waterloo, IA | $2,625/mo | +$598/mo | −$1,325/yr | — |
| 12 | Dubuque, IA | $2,621/mo | +$594/mo | −$1,325/yr | — |
| 13 | Cape Girardeau, MO | $2,618/mo | +$591/mo | −$977/yr | — |
| 14 | Jefferson City, MO | $2,610/mo | +$583/mo | −$977/yr | — |
| 15 | Killeen, TX | $2,606/mo | +$579/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 16 | Laredo, TX | $2,603/mo | +$576/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 17 | Iowa City, IA | $2,601/mo | +$574/mo | −$1,325/yr | — |
| 18 | Morristown, TN | $2,592/mo | +$565/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 19 | Sherman, TX | $2,589/mo | +$562/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 20 | St. Joseph, MO | $2,584/mo | +$557/mo | −$977/yr | — |
| 21 | Eagle Pass, TX | $2,576/mo | +$549/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 22 | Alexandria, LA | $2,573/mo | +$546/mo | −$1,785/yr | — |
| 23 | El Paso, TX | $2,564/mo | +$537/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 24 | Beaumont, TX | $2,555/mo | +$528/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
| 25 | Sioux Falls, SD | $2,549/mo | +$522/mo | −$3,810/yr | — |
Staying in Alabama
State income tax does not change. Rent still does. Compared with Birmingham.
Moving from another state
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Cities that pay you to moveTake-home by jobBirmingham paycheck
Questions
Where do people from Alabama move?
Among metros on this site, the largest IRS flow out of Alabama in 2022-2023 is to Atlanta, GA: 2,102 tax returns, about 3,280 people. The link uses the Birmingham corridor, which sent the most of those returns.
How does state income tax change when you leave Alabama?
On $80,000 for a single filer, Alabama state income tax is $3,810 a year. The change column is the destination's state income tax minus that figure. A negative number is a smaller state tax bill. Local wage taxes are not in that column. They are in the leftover figure.
Where does a paycheck from Alabama go furthest?
At $80,000 held flat, one adult in a one-bedroom keeps $2,706 a month in Ames, IA, +$679 versus Birmingham.