Moving from Tennessee to Alabama
Moving to Alabama on the same salary slightly lowers your real buying power (-1.7%); you'd need about $71,500 to break even. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in AL: $71,500
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $71,500 in Alabama to match $70,000 in Tennessee ($1,500 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $70,000 | Tennessee | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $6,570 | $6,570 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,355 | $5,355 |
| State income tax | $0 | $2,932 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $58,075 | $55,144 |
Key facts: Tennessee to Alabama
- Median rent
- $1,284 → $1,077/mo
- Median home value
- $332,600 → $233,300
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 91.9 → 88.8
- Road distance
- ≈ 230 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Above average → Among the highest
What changes when you move to Alabama
- Tennessee has no state income tax on wages; Alabama does. At $70,000 expect about $2,932 a year in Alabama income tax.
- BEA's housing price index is 22% lower in Alabama. Median rent goes from $1,284 to $1,077 a month and the median home value from $332,600 to $233,300.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $890 in Alabama vs $1,488 in Tennessee.
- The average home electric bill is $174 a month in Alabama vs $143 in Tennessee (EIA 2024), about $362 a year more.
Who moves from Tennessee to Alabama
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 4,905 households (8,763 people) filed their taxes in Alabama after filing in Tennessee the year before. That makes Alabama the #6 destination for people leaving Tennessee. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $66,085. Going the other way, 4,554 households moved from Alabama to Tennessee, a net gain of 351 households for Alabama.
Five-year trend
Moves from Tennessee to Alabama reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 25% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Tennessee to Alabama
Moving cost: $320–$5,050
Moving about 230 miles from Tennessee to Alabama costs roughly $320 – $5,050, 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. | $320 – $690 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,110 – $2,090 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $1,850 – $5,050 |
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 23 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 Tennessee to Alabama
Car shipping: $590–$900
Shipping a sedan from Tennessee to Alabama on an open carrier costs about $590–$900, typically 1–4 days in transit over about 230 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 Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Tennessee vs Alabama take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in AL | Take-home change | Take-home in TN | Take-home in AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $50,800 | -$2,069 | $42,355 | $40,286 |
| $75,000 | $76,600 | -$3,127 | $61,593 | $58,466 |
| $100,000 | $102,200 | -$4,102 | $79,180 | $75,079 |
| $150,000 | $153,400 | -$6,023 | $113,791 | $107,768 |
| $250,000 | $255,600 | -$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: Tennessee vs Alabama
| Measure | Tennessee | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 91.9 | 88.8 |
| Housing price index | 79.1 | 61.8 |
| Utilities price index | 72.1 | 84.6 |
| Goods price index | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,284 | $1,077 |
| Median home value | $332,600 | $233,300 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $1,488 | $890 |
| Electricity (residential) | 14.07¢/kWh | 16.40¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 7% | 4% |
| Median household income | $71,997 | $66,659 |
Renting and buying: Tennessee vs Alabama
| Measure | Tennessee | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $51,360 | $43,080 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $2,002 | $1,442 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $85,806 | $61,816 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,402 | $1,593 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $13,126 | $8,632 |
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: Tennessee vs Alabama
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $40,588 a year in Tennessee and $40,629 in Alabama if you rent: $41 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $49,206 and $45,014 ($4,192 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | TN | AL | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $11,925 | $14,857 | +$2,932 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,720 | $2,082 | +$362 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,050 | $1,081 | +$31 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,953 | $1,945 | -$8 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,532 | $7,740 | -$792 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $15,408 | $12,924 | -$2,484 |
| Total if you rent | $40,588 | $40,629 | +$41 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $21,136 | $14,826 | -$6,310 |
| Property tax median home | $1,488 | $890 | -$598 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,402 | $1,593 | +$191 |
| Total if you buy | $49,206 | $45,014 | -$4,192 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, 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 September 23, 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 $13,126 a year in Tennessee and $8,632 in Alabama (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 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 Tennessee and Alabama.
- How Alabama taxes retirement income.
- Live in Alabama but keep working in Tennessee? See who taxes your wages.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Alabama to live like I do in Tennessee?
A $70,000 salary in Tennessee works out to about $71,500 in Alabama once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $102,200.
Will I pay less tax in Alabama than in Tennessee?
No, about $2,932 more a year in income and payroll taxes on a $70,000 salary (17.0% of pay in Tennessee vs 21.2% in Alabama). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Tennessee to Alabama?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 230 miles, expect roughly $320–$690 with a rental truck, $1,110–$2,090 with a moving container, or $1,850–$5,050 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Tennessee to Alabama?
Moves from Tennessee to Alabama reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 25% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Tennessee to Alabama?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 4,905 households (8,763 people) moved from Tennessee to Alabama, making Alabama the #6 destination for people leaving Tennessee. 4,554 households moved the other way.
Is Alabama cheaper than Tennessee?
Overall prices in Alabama are 3.4% lower than Tennessee (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,077 vs $1,284 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Tennessee actually move
- TN to Florida 9,475 households
- TN to Georgia 7,832 households
- TN to Texas 6,776 households
- TN to Mississippi 5,685 households
- TN to Kentucky 5,516 households
- TN to North Carolina 4,796 households
- TN to California 3,810 households
- TN to Virginia 3,637 households