City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 2.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $102,700 in Baton Rouge, LA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,271 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- 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 Baton Rouge, LA to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by +2.7%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,403 in Huntington | $102,667 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,271/yr.
77 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,271/yr.
61 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 Baton Rouge, LA to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Huntington, WV | Real change, Baton Rouge → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $57,450 | $58,982 (−0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $110,780 | $113,734 (+11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $70,840 | $72,729 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $81,010 | $83,170 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.