Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Huntsville?

Huntsville, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,090 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $36,000 in Huntsville.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Huntsville?

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

Concord vs Huntsville Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,090 in Huntsville, AL. Overall, Huntsville, AL is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $70,778 in Huntsville, AL — about 15% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Huntsville, AL

Rent

Studio

$876

$815

+7% in Concord, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$900

+21% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,080

+27% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,251

+29% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$263,100

+19% in Concord, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$70,778

+15% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$51,740

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

36.4 yr

+4.3 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

58.1%

+0.7 pp in Huntsville, AL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

46.2%

+6.1 pp in Huntsville, AL

Avg Commute

23.2 min

19.3 min

+3.9 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

483.2

+167% in Huntsville, AL

Property Crime

1,251.5

2,395.7

+91% 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

46.4°F

62.1°F

+15.7°F in Huntsville, AL

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

54.3 in

+13.7 in in Huntsville, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.62/gal

+8% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

16.4

+39% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$24.06

+11% in Huntsville, AL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Concord, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Huntsville, AL

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / AL)

None

+4.0 pp in AL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.00%

+5.0 pp in AL

Concord vs Huntsville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Huntsville?: Huntsville, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,090 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Huntsville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $36,000 in Huntsville.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Huntsville?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).