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Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Gadsden, AL

Cost-of-living indicators for Gadsden, AL, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.

Reviewed byPlaincost Editorial, Cost Of Living Editorial Team · June 9, 2026

85.7
Overall RPP: #376
of 387 metros: 53.7
Rents RPP: $117K
$100K national buys

The verdict

Gadsden costs less than 97% of U.S. metros — an overall index of 85.7, 14.3% below the national average, with rents the biggest swing at 53.7.

85.7
overall cost index (US average = 100): #376
most expensive of 387 U.S. metros: bottom 3%
by overall cost, nationwide: 53.7
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $116,750 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $85,653.

What the Numbers Mean for Gadsden

Gadsden ranks #376 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the bottom quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 85.7, Gadsden, AL is 14.3% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Gadsden's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus rents at 53.7 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.

Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $116,750 inside Gadsden, while a household needs roughly $85,653 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 53.7 — 46.3% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.

Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Gadsden's overall index has stayed within 0.9 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.4 and services at 86.7, meaning everyday spending in Gadsden is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.

Gadsden vs every U.S. metro

Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution

86 Top 97% higher than 3% of 387 US metros

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Rents

53.7
Services

86.7
Overall

85.7
Goods

96.4

What this shows Gadsden's gap from the national average is led by rents at 53.7. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.

Goods vs. housing — where Gadsden's cost comes from

Metros near Gadsden's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.

Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 93.7, rents 53.8). Gadsden is more goods-led than its peers — its everyday goods cost more relative to housing. These metros sit near Gadsden's overall cost, yet they spread across the chart — proof that two places at the same headline RPP can have very different goods-vs-housing structures.

Price Index Summary

Overall

85.7

-14.3 below avg

Goods

96.4

-3.6 below avg

Services

86.7

-13.3 below avg

Rents

53.7

-46.3 below avg

Salary Equivalent

A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:

$85,653

in Gadsden, AL purchasing power

$50,000 nationally

$42,827

$75,000 nationally

$64,240

$125,000 nationally

$107,066

$150,000 nationally

$128,480

$200,000 nationally

$171,306

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.

RPP History (2008-2024)

The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 0.9 points over this period.

Year	Overall	Goods	Services	Rents
2008	86.5	96.7	95.1	44.6
2009	88.4	94.8	95.9	56.7
2010	87.7	96.5	96.7	52.0
2011	88.8	96.5	96.0	53.2
2012	87.6	96.7	96.3	47.4
2013	88.6	97.2	96.7	52.4
2014	89.3	97.8	95.9	52.9
2015	88.2	96.5	95.5	51.9
2016	88.8	97.2	94.6	49.9
2017	87.3	97.1	93.5	48.2
2018	86.0	92.5	89.1	53.3
2019	86.2	94.6	88.1	51.2
2020	85.2	94.3	85.3	51.3
2021	84.4	93.9	87.5	50.9
2022	82.3	94.7	89.9	42.7
2023	85.9	94.6	91.4	49.3
2024	85.7	96.4	86.7	53.7

Metros with Similar Cost of Living

These metros have an overall RPP closest to Gadsden, AL's index of 85.7.

Alexandria, LA 85.7 Joplin, MO-KS 85.7 Hot Springs, AR 85.7 Jackson, TN 85.5 Lake Charles, LA 85.9 Jonesboro, AR 85.9

Other AL Metros

Daphne-Fairhope-Foley 94.7 Huntsville 93.1 Birmingham 91.6 Montgomery 89.7 Mobile 88.1 Auburn-Opelika 87.9

View all AL metros →

Compare to Other Metros

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Custom Compare →

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Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Gadsden, AL? ▼

Gadsden, AL has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 85.7, meaning it is 14.3% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.4, services at 86.7, and rents at 53.7. It ranks #376 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.

What salary do I need in Gadsden, AL to match $100K nationally? ▼

To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $85,653 in Gadsden, AL. Conversely, $100K earned in Gadsden, AL has the purchasing power of $116,750 at the national average.

How expensive is rent in Gadsden, AL? ▼

Rents in Gadsden, AL are indexed at 53.7, which is 46.3% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.

Is Gadsden, AL getting more expensive? ▼

From 2008 to 2024, Gadsden, AL's overall cost index changed by -0.9 points (from 86.5 to 85.7). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.

What metros have a similar cost of living to Gadsden, AL? ▼

Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Alexandria, Joplin, Hot Springs. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Gadsden, AL's 85.7.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.

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Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Federal data behind these figures

BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) — the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr