City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lansing, MI are 7.4% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $107,400 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,012 a month in Lansing, MI versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Lansing, MI and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,885 a year in WV and $3,999 in MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Huntington, WV to Lansing, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,429 in Lansing | $93,085 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Lansing, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$114/yr.
47 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$114/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Lansing, MI | Real change, Huntington → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $72,930 | $67,887 (+18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $97,120 | $90,404 (−18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $79,210 | $73,732 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $84,320 | $78,489 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.