City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Des Moines, IA are 3.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $103,700 in Des Moines, IA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Des Moines, IA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $737 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Des Moines, IA to Huntington, WV ($107,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (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
| Des Moines, IA | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,424 in Huntington | $103,708 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$737/yr.
80 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Des Moines, IA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$737/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Huntington, WV | Real change, Des Moines → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $57,450 | $59,580 (−3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $110,780 | $114,888 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $70,840 | $73,467 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $81,010 | $84,014 (+6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.