City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 19.0% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $119,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,885 in WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Huntington, WV ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,050 in Huntington | $118,977 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$194/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$194/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Huntington, WV | Real change, Boulder → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $57,450 | $68,352 (−15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $110,780 | $131,803 (−19.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $70,840 | $84,283 (−15.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $81,010 | $96,383 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.