City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntington, WV are 2.8% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $102,800 in Huntington, WV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $866 a month in Brownsville, TX and $853 in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Brownsville, TX.
- 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 Brownsville, TX to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by −2.8%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (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
| Brownsville, TX | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,846 in Huntington | $97,233 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Huntington, WV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
60 Fair offer
Huntington, WV → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
78 Strong 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 Brownsville, TX to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Huntington, WV | Real change, Brownsville → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $57,450 | $55,860 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $110,780 | $107,714 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $70,840 | $68,880 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $81,010 | $78,768 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.