Huntsville, Alabama (35896) is a city in the northern part of the state. With a population of around 200,000 and an area of just over 1,100 square miles, Huntsville is one of the larger cities in Alabama. The city's economy is largely driven by aerospace engineering and defense technology; major employers include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and US Army Materiel Command. Additionally, Huntsville has an active tech industry with numerous small businesses. The median 2 bedroom rent in Huntsville is $1,080 per month while the median nationally is $1,430. Another significant difference from other parts of the country lies in the Grocery Cost Index which was 97 for Huntsville compared to 100 nationally.