Tuscaloosa, AL vs Paducah, KY: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Paducah, KY is 1.9% less expensive than Tuscaloosa, AL (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Tuscaloosa works out to about $73,600 in Paducah, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 16.2% less in Paducah. Goods are 0.4% lower and other services 0.2% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $1,151 a month in Paducah and $1,668 in Tuscaloosa, $6,204 a year less in Paducah (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $173,000 in Paducah and $239,000 in Tuscaloosa.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.9%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 16.2% lower in Paducah than in Tuscaloosa
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 87.7 | 86.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.0 |
| Housing (rents) | 58.2 | 48.8 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 76.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.9 |
| Category | Tuscaloosa | Paducah | Paducah vs Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 87.7 | 86.1 | −1.9% |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.0 | −0.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 58.2 | 48.8 | −16.2% |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 76.9 | −8.9% |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.9 | +0.2% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,668 | $1,151 | −31.0% |
| Typical home value | $239,000 | $173,000 | −27.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Tuscaloosa | $75,000 | $73,600 | −1.9% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Tuscaloosa and Paducah has narrowed since 2008: 5.4 points then, 1.6 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 89.7 | 84.4 |
| 2009 | 89.2 | 82.7 |
| 2010 | 90.4 | 86.6 |
| 2011 | 89.5 | 85.8 |
| 2012 | 90.6 | 84.6 |
| 2013 | 90.2 | 86.0 |
| 2014 | 90.6 | 85.3 |
| 2015 | 89.5 | 86.7 |
| 2016 | 90.9 | 86.0 |
| 2017 | 92.4 | 85.5 |
| 2018 | 85.8 | 86.6 |
| 2019 | 88.5 | 87.7 |
| 2020 | 87.1 | 85.5 |
| 2021 | 88.0 | 85.3 |
| 2022 | 87.2 | 84.7 |
| 2023 | 89.1 | 85.6 |
| 2024 | 87.7 | 86.1 |
Goods
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.2 | 95.1 |
| 2009 | 94.3 | 91.8 |
| 2010 | 96.5 | 96.9 |
| 2011 | 96.1 | 94.7 |
| 2012 | 95.7 | 91.1 |
| 2013 | 96.5 | 92.9 |
| 2014 | 96.7 | 91.9 |
| 2015 | 95.6 | 91.4 |
| 2016 | 96.4 | 92.7 |
| 2017 | 96.0 | 91.7 |
| 2018 | 92.5 | 92.6 |
| 2019 | 94.6 | 94.8 |
| 2020 | 94.3 | 94.3 |
| 2021 | 93.9 | 93.7 |
| 2022 | 94.7 | 94.0 |
| 2023 | 94.6 | 94.2 |
| 2024 | 96.4 | 96.0 |
Housing (rents)
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 65.2 | 49.0 |
| 2009 | 65.7 | 51.3 |
| 2010 | 63.9 | 55.1 |
| 2011 | 61.3 | 53.7 |
| 2012 | 65.0 | 49.1 |
| 2013 | 60.9 | 53.5 |
| 2014 | 61.8 | 48.3 |
| 2015 | 57.7 | 55.3 |
| 2016 | 60.9 | 53.9 |
| 2017 | 71.1 | 54.6 |
| 2018 | 56.0 | 56.6 |
| 2019 | 62.9 | 58.2 |
| 2020 | 60.8 | 54.9 |
| 2021 | 59.0 | 49.3 |
| 2022 | 53.6 | 45.0 |
| 2023 | 63.2 | 48.0 |
| 2024 | 58.2 | 48.8 |
Utilities
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 91.6 | 73.2 |
| 2009 | 91.8 | 72.8 |
| 2010 | 93.6 | 74.9 |
| 2011 | 93.5 | 78.2 |
| 2012 | 95.4 | 81.8 |
| 2013 | 94.0 | 81.3 |
| 2014 | 94.3 | 85.0 |
| 2015 | 94.5 | 87.2 |
| 2016 | 94.4 | 87.8 |
| 2017 | 92.8 | 89.3 |
| 2018 | 88.4 | 80.6 |
| 2019 | 86.6 | 79.5 |
| 2020 | 84.7 | 77.8 |
| 2021 | 86.0 | 81.1 |
| 2022 | 87.7 | 84.0 |
| 2023 | 89.9 | 82.3 |
| 2024 | 84.4 | 76.9 |
Other services
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.0 | 95.5 |
| 2009 | 97.2 | 93.1 |
| 2010 | 99.0 | 94.7 |
| 2011 | 100.3 | 96.2 |
| 2012 | 101.1 | 98.0 |
| 2013 | 100.1 | 98.6 |
| 2014 | 100.1 | 99.2 |
| 2015 | 100.3 | 97.9 |
| 2016 | 101.1 | 96.3 |
| 2017 | 99.6 | 94.6 |
| 2018 | 95.9 | 96.2 |
| 2019 | 96.9 | 96.7 |
| 2020 | 96.5 | 96.2 |
| 2021 | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| 2022 | 97.1 | 97.0 |
| 2023 | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| 2024 | 96.7 | 96.9 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,151 in Paducah vs $1,668 in Tuscaloosa
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $1,064 | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $1,046 | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $1,069 | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $1,095 | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $1,083 | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $1,131 | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $1,113 | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $1,099 | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $1,127 | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $1,130 | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $1,132 | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $1,133 | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $1,168 | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $1,168 | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $1,177 | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $1,165 | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $1,189 | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $1,196 | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,218 | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $1,209 | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $1,241 | – | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,276 | – | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,298 | – | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,333 | – | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,355 | – | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,379 | – | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,382 | – | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,427 | – | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,451 | – | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,465 | – | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,471 | – | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,492 | – | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,516 | – | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,546 | – | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,545 | $1,052 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,558 | $1,016 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,579 | $1,049 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,604 | $1,062 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,636 | $1,104 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,626 | $1,087 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,639 | $1,131 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,668 | $1,151 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $173,000 in Paducah vs $239,000 in Tuscaloosa
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Paducah, KY
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Paducah, KY | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $152K | $100K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $154K | $102K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $157K | $103K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $159K | $104K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $159K | $107K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $159K | $107K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $158K | $106K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $157K | $107K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $156K | $106K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $157K | $106K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $158K | $108K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $159K | $109K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $161K | $110K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $163K | $112K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $165K | $112K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $167K | $113K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $171K | $115K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $173K | $117K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $176K | $117K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $179K | $120K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $182K | $122K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $183K | $125K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $187K | $127K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $193K | $131K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $197K | $131K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $204K | $134K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $209K | $136K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $213K | $139K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $220K | $145K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $226K | $147K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $229K | $149K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $229K | $152K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $231K | $155K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $235K | $160K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $235K | $160K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $235K | $161K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $234K | $160K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $237K | $163K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $238K | $163K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $239K | $166K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $238K | $174K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $238K | $177K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $237K | $177K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $237K | $173K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $237K | $174K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $239K | $171K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $239K | $173K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.