Is it cheaper to live in Huntsville or Rochester?

Huntsville, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,090 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Rochester, MN's $1,290, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Huntsville versus $44,000 in Rochester.

Which has lower taxes, Huntsville or Rochester?

Huntsville is taxed under Alabama's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Huntsville vs Rochester Cost of Living 2026

Huntsville

Alabama

$1,090/mo est.

Rochester

Minnesota

$1,290/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,090 in Huntsville, AL versus $1,290 in Rochester, MN. Overall, Huntsville, AL is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Rochester, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,778 in Huntsville, AL and $87,767 in Rochester, MN — about 19% higher in Rochester, MN. Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Huntsville, AL

Rochester, MN

Rent

Studio

$815

$1,080

+33% in Rochester, MN

1 Bedroom

$900

$1,106

+23% in Rochester, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,080

$1,243

+15% in Rochester, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,251

$1,646

+32% in Rochester, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$263,100

$287,500

+9% in Rochester, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$70,778

$87,767

+24% in Rochester, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,740

$60,620

+17% in Rochester, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

about equal

Homeownership

58.1%

65.4%

+7.3 pp in Rochester, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

46.2%

50.1%

+3.9 pp in Rochester, MN

Avg Commute

19.3 min

17.2 min

+2.1 min in Huntsville, AL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

483.2

158.9

+67% in Huntsville, AL

Property Crime

2,395.7

1,379

+42% 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

62.1°F

45.4°F

+16.7°F in Huntsville, AL

Annual Precipitation

54.3 in

33.0 in

+21.3 in in Huntsville, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.96/gal

+9% in Rochester, MN

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

17.5

+7% in Rochester, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.06

$14.79

+39% in Huntsville, AL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Rochester, MN

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Huntsville, AL

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in Rochester, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in Rochester, MN

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in Rochester, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AL / MN)

6.875%

+2.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

5.00%

9.85%

+4.8 pp in MN

Huntsville vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Huntsville or Rochester?: Huntsville, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,090 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Rochester, MN's $1,290, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Huntsville than in Rochester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Huntsville versus $44,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Huntsville or Rochester?: Huntsville is taxed under Alabama's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).