Where to move from Alabama
On a $65,000 salary (about the Alabama median household income) you keep $51,679 after 2026 taxes. 6 states have lower overall prices, and the biggest gain in buying power (+5.5%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
Buying power by destination
Every state ranked for someone leaving Alabama
The ranking starts at about Alabama's median household income. Enter your own salary and filing status to re-rank every state for you.
At a salary of $65,000, filing single, the biggest gain in buying power (+5.5%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
| Move to | Buying power | Take-home change | Rent / mo | Equal salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | +5.5% | +$2,729 | $999 | $61,500 |
| North Dakota | +5.0% | +$2,721 | $980 | $61,700 |
| Mississippi | +3.8% | +$861 | $990 | $62,500 |
| Arkansas | +3.6% | +$729 | $982 | $62,600 |
| Louisiana | +3.0% | +$1,165 | $1,064 | $63,000 |
| Iowa | +2.9% | +$911 | $981 | $63,000 |
| Oklahoma | +1.8% | +$350 | $1,044 | $63,800 |
| Tennessee | +1.7% | +$2,729 | $1,284 | $63,800 |
| Wyoming | +0.9% | +$2,729 | $998 | $64,400 |
| West Virginia | +0.4% | +$641 | $883 | $64,700 |
| Nebraska | -0.2% | +$651 | $1,102 | $65,100 |
| Kentucky | -0.5% | +$572 | $998 | $65,300 |
| Missouri | -1.0% | +$651 | $1,067 | $65,700 |
| Ohio | -1.1% | +$1,717 | $1,090 | $65,800 |
| Kansas | -1.6% | -$98 | $1,079 | $66,100 |
| New Mexico | -2.1% | +$840 | $1,117 | $66,500 |
| Texas | -3.7% | +$2,729 | $1,475 | $67,800 |
| South Carolina | -3.9% | +$735 | $1,272 | $68,100 |
| North Carolina | -4.7% | +$644 | $1,338 | $68,600 |
| Wisconsin | -4.9% | +$379 | $1,142 | $69,000 |
| Indiana | -5.2% | -$215 | $1,104 | $69,100 |
| Montana | -5.4% | +$417 | $1,177 | $69,300 |
| Idaho | -6.3% | +$392 | $1,384 | $70,200 |
| Nevada | -6.5% | +$2,729 | $1,709 | $70,200 |
| Michigan | -7.3% | +$217 | $1,168 | $71,000 |
| Georgia | -7.4% | +$234 | $1,506 | $71,100 |
| Pennsylvania | -7.8% | +$688 | $1,252 | $71,400 |
| Vermont | -7.8% | +$899 | $1,319 | $71,800 |
| Maine | -9.0% | -$306 | $1,210 | $72,800 |
| Alaska | -9.2% | +$2,458 | $1,444 | $72,500 |
| Arizona | -9.2% | +$1,507 | $1,672 | $72,800 |
| Florida | -9.6% | +$2,729 | $1,812 | $73,000 |
| Utah | -9.9% | +$194 | $1,593 | $73,600 |
| New Hampshire | -10.3% | +$2,729 | $1,558 | $73,600 |
| Minnesota | -10.7% | -$454 | $1,291 | $74,500 |
| Illinois | -11.8% | -$344 | $1,322 | $75,300 |
| Delaware | -11.8% | -$480 | $1,530 | $75,600 |
| Virginia | -12.5% | -$194 | $1,646 | $76,100 |
| Rhode Island | -12.9% | +$193 | $1,418 | $76,500 |
| Colorado | -13.4% | +$291 | $1,822 | $77,000 |
| Washington | -14.1% | +$1,827 | $1,824 | $77,500 |
| Connecticut | -15.1% | -$471 | $1,550 | $79,000 |
| Massachusetts | -17.0% | -$600 | $1,848 | $80,900 |
| Oregon | -17.6% | -$2,085 | $1,597 | $81,700 |
| New Jersey | -18.0% | +$222 | $1,800 | $82,600 |
| Maryland | -18.4% | -$1,807 | $1,721 | $82,700 |
| New York | -18.4% | -$465 | $1,634 | $82,700 |
| Washington, DC | -19.3% | -$50 | $1,931 | $84,300 |
| California | -19.9% | -$91 | $2,104 | $85,900 |
| Hawaii | -20.4% | -$732 | $1,942 | $85,700 |
Single filer, $65,000 W-2 salary. "Buying power" is after-tax pay adjusted for regional prices, and "Equal salary" is the pay that keeps it the same (see how to work out the salary you need). Weighing a state with no income tax? See what you really save.
Not sure where to go? Take the where-should-I-move quiz to match states to your budget and priorities, or read how to choose a city to move to.
Where Alabama residents actually move
Alabama gained households from other states in every one of the last five IRS years.
IRS Statistics of Income migration data, 2022–2023. See national migration.
Everyday costs in Alabama
- Average electric bill
- $174/mo
- Regular gas
- $4.05/gal
- Insure + fuel one car
- $3,026/yr
- Health plan, age 40
- $645/mo
- Natural hazard risk
- Among the highest (82.7)
EIA 2024 bills, AAA gas, NAIC insurance + 12,000 miles of gas, KFF 2026 benchmark silver before subsidies, FEMA National Risk Index, Census ACS 2024.
Cities in Alabama
More about living in Alabama
Cost of living
Prices and the salary it takes to rent, buy, or live a typical lifestyle in Alabama.
Buying a home
Income needed and monthly cost of the median Alabama home.
Retiring in Alabama
How Alabama taxes Social Security, pensions and 401(k)s.
Moving to Alabama
Who moves here, what it costs, and the driver license and registration deadlines.
Moving costs
What it costs to move from Alabama to every other state.
Car shipping
What it costs to ship a car from Alabama to every state.
Disaster risk
FEMA risk for Alabama and every county.
Health insurance
2026 Marketplace premiums in Alabama by age.
Property tax by county
Effective rates for every Alabama county.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people from Alabama move?
The top destinations in IRS data for 2022–2023 were Georgia (8,527 households), Florida (7,060 households), Tennessee (4,554 households).
Is Alabama gaining or losing residents to other states?
Alabama had a net gain of 6,202 households to other states in 2022–2023 (IRS).
Which state gives the most buying power if I leave Alabama?
On a $65,000 salary, South Dakota raises your after-tax, price-adjusted income the most (+5.5%).
Moving to Alabama instead?
The Moving to Alabama guide covers where newcomers come from, the cost of living and the first-month deadlines. Reports for the most common moves here: