City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 8.2% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $108,200 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $965 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Huntington, WV to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,226 in Indianapolis | $92,399 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$965/yr.
45 Weak offer
Indianapolis, IN → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$965/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Huntington → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $60,510 | $55,911 (−2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $106,870 | $98,747 (−10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $79,290 | $73,263 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $84,230 | $77,828 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.