Moving from New Hampshire to Alabama
Moving to Alabama on the same salary raises your real buying power by 11.3%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
The salary comparison above is for W-2 earnings. Your retirement income and budget results appear in the calculator below.
State-median gross rent (2024 ACS): $1,558/month in New Hampshire and $1,077/month in Alabama. These are state benchmarks, not current rental quotes or your own housing costs. Compare your salary offer, housing and moving-cost recovery using the personal-budget option in the calculator.
Equal salary in AL: $88,600
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $88,600 in Alabama to match $100,000 in New Hampshire ($11,400 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
The renter figure uses ACS gross rent, which includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels. The buyer figure adds electricity separately to mortgage, property tax and insurance. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. These are selected-cost changes, not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $100,000 | New Hampshire | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $13,170 | $13,170 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $7,650 | $7,650 |
| State income tax | $0 | $4,102 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $79,180 | $75,079 |
Key facts: New Hampshire to Alabama
- Median rent
- $1,558 → $1,077/mo
- Median home value
- $458,800 → $233,300
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 104.2 → 88.8
- Road distance
- ≈ 1,270 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- High county-score mean → Very high county-score mean
What changes when you move to Alabama
- New Hampshire has no state income tax on wages; Alabama does. At $100,000 expect about $4,102 a year in Alabama income tax.
- BEA's housing rents price index is 46% lower in Alabama. Median rent goes from $1,558 to $1,077 a month and the median home value from $458,800 to $233,300.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $890 in Alabama vs $6,707 in New Hampshire.
- The average home electric bill is $184 a month in Alabama vs $157 in New Hampshire (EIA 2025), about $328 a year more.
- Prices for everyday goods are 2% lower (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 4% in Alabama vs 0% in New Hampshire, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from New Hampshire to Alabama
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 110 households (202 people) filed their taxes in Alabama after filing in New Hampshire the year before. That makes Alabama the #30 destination for people leaving New Hampshire. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $77,973. Going the other way, 66 households moved from Alabama to New Hampshire, a net gain of 44 households for Alabama.
Five-year trend
Moves from New Hampshire to Alabama peaked in 2021–22 at 114 households, then fell 4% by 2022–23. That is still up 36% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from New Hampshire to Alabama
Moving cost: $880–$11,740
Moving about 1,270 miles from New Hampshire to Alabama costs roughly $880 – $11,740, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $880 – $3,820 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,720 – $4,400 |
| Full-service movers Loading, transport and unloading. Packing, storage and other extra services may cost more; confirm the written estimate. | $2,770 – $11,740 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 127 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from New Hampshire to Alabama
Car shipping: $980–$1,440
Shipping a sedan from New Hampshire to Alabama on an open carrier costs about $980–$1,440, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 1,270 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published mainland-to-Hawaii and mainland-to-Alaska prices. Reverse ocean routes reuse those inbound prices as a proxy, not a separately sourced price for that direction. The 25% SUV and 35% enclosed-carrier uplifts are model assumptions; ocean carrier packages and vehicle charges can differ. Not a quote.
New Hampshire vs Alabama take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in AL | Take-home change | Take-home in NH | Take-home in AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $44,500 | -$2,069 | $42,355 | $40,286 |
| $75,000 | $66,100 | -$3,127 | $61,593 | $58,466 |
| $100,000 | $88,600 | -$4,102 | $79,180 | $75,079 |
| $150,000 | $133,300 | -$6,023 | $113,791 | $107,768 |
| $250,000 | $222,100 | -$9,695 | $183,182 | $173,487 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax once you live in Alabama, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: New Hampshire vs Alabama
| Measure | New Hampshire | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 104.2 | 88.8 |
| Housing rents price index | 114.9 | 61.8 |
| Utilities price index | 133.7 | 84.6 |
| Goods price index | 98.6 | 96.4 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,558 | $1,077 |
| Median home value | $458,800 | $233,300 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $6,707 | $890 |
| Electricity (residential) | 27.01¢/kWh | 16.40¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 0% | 4% |
| Median household income | $99,782 | $66,659 |
Renting and buying: New Hampshire vs Alabama
| Measure | New Hampshire | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $62,320 | $43,080 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $3,160 | $1,479 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $135,430 | $63,380 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,197 | $1,593 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $16,462 | $8,859 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Alabama for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: New Hampshire vs Alabama
On a $100,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $47,325 a year in New Hampshire and $48,479 in Alabama if you rent: $1,154 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $68,432 and $55,513 ($12,919 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | NH | AL | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $100,000, single filer | $20,820 | $24,922 | +$4,102 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $987 | $1,081 | +$94 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,010 | $1,812 | -$198 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $4,812 | $7,740 | +$2,928 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $18,696 | $12,924 | -$5,772 |
| Total if you rent | $47,325 | $48,479 | +$1,154 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $30,016 | $15,263 | -$14,753 |
| Property tax median home | $6,707 | $890 | -$5,817 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,197 | $1,593 | +$396 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,883 | $2,212 | +$329 |
| Total if you buy | $68,432 | $55,513 | -$12,919 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $16,462 a year in New Hampshire and $8,859 in Alabama (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Cost of living in Alabama cities: Birmingham, Huntsville, Daphne.
After you arrive in Alabama
- Alabama new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in New Hampshire and Alabama.
- How Alabama taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Alabama to live like I do in New Hampshire?
A $100,000 salary in New Hampshire works out to about $88,600 in Alabama once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted.
Will I pay less tax in Alabama than in New Hampshire?
No, about $4,102 more a year in income and payroll taxes on a $100,000 salary (20.8% of pay in New Hampshire vs 24.9% in Alabama). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from New Hampshire to Alabama?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 1,270 miles, expect roughly $880–$3,820 with a rental truck, $1,720–$4,400 with a moving container, or $2,770–$11,740 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from New Hampshire to Alabama?
Moves from New Hampshire to Alabama peaked in 2021–22 at 114 households, then fell 4% by 2022–23. That is still up 36% from 2018–19.
How many people move from New Hampshire to Alabama?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 110 households (202 people) moved from New Hampshire to Alabama, making Alabama the #30 destination for people leaving New Hampshire. 66 households moved the other way.
Is Alabama cheaper than New Hampshire?
Overall prices in Alabama are 14.8% lower than New Hampshire (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,077 vs $1,558 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from New Hampshire actually move
- NH to Massachusetts 6,594 households
- NH to Florida 2,696 households
- NH to Maine 2,595 households
- NH to Vermont 1,243 households
- NH to New York 1,238 households
- NH to North Carolina 930 households
- NH to California 761 households
- NH to Texas 760 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.