City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Jacksonville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 12.5% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $112,500 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Jacksonville, FL.
- 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 Huntington, WV to Jacksonville, FL changes real buying power by −11.1%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Jacksonville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 99.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,510 in Jacksonville | $88,881 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $48,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Jacksonville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 109.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 99.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
38 Weak offer
Jacksonville, FL → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
100 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 Huntington, WV to Jacksonville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Jacksonville, FL | Real change, Huntington → Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $61,080 | $54,288 (−5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $130,330 | $115,838 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $79,960 | $71,069 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $83,520 | $74,233 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.