Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Huntsville?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Huntsville, AL's $1,090, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Huntsville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $36,000 in Huntsville.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Huntsville?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Huntsville under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Casper vs Huntsville Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Huntsville

Alabama

$1,090/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,090 in Huntsville, AL. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Huntsville, AL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $70,778 in Huntsville, AL — about 2% higher in Huntsville, AL. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Huntsville, AL

Rent

Studio

$730

$815

+12% in Huntsville, AL

1 Bedroom

$764

$900

+18% in Huntsville, AL

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,080

+16% in Huntsville, AL

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,251

+4% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$263,100

+5% in Huntsville, AL

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$70,778

+2% in Huntsville, AL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$51,740

+6% in Huntsville, AL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

36.4 yr

+0.6 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

58.1%

+12.2 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

46.2%

+16.2 pp in Huntsville, AL

Avg Commute

16.9 min

19.3 min

+2.4 min in Huntsville, AL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

483.2

+60% in Huntsville, AL

Property Crime

2,123.8

2,395.7

+13% in Huntsville, AL

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

62.1°F

+16.7°F in Huntsville, AL

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

54.3 in

+41.8 in in Huntsville, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.62/gal

+15% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

16.4

+8% in Huntsville, AL

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$24.06

+32% in Huntsville, AL

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Huntsville, AL

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / AL)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.00%

+5.0 pp in AL

Casper vs Huntsville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Huntsville?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Huntsville, AL's $1,090, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Huntsville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $36,000 in Huntsville.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Huntsville?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Huntsville under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).