City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Augusta, GA are 3.9% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $103,900 in Augusta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Augusta, GA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $682 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Huntington, WV.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Augusta, GA to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by +3.9%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Augusta, GA | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,212 in Huntington | $103,937 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$682/yr.
81 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Augusta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$682/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Huntington, WV | Real change, Augusta → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $57,450 | $59,712 (−5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $110,780 | $115,141 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $70,840 | $73,629 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $81,010 | $84,199 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.