City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 17.2% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $117,200 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $920 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Huntington, WV ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.8% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,354 in Huntington | $117,160 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$920/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$920/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Huntington, WV | Real change, Chicago → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $57,450 | $67,308 (−14.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $110,780 | $129,790 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $70,840 | $82,996 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $81,010 | $94,911 (−5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.