City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 10.0% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $110,000 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,885 a year in WV and $3,919 in WI.
- 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 Madison, WI changes real buying power by −9.1%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,026 in Madison | $90,888 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$34/yr.
40 Weak offer
Madison, WI → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$34/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Madison, WI | Real change, Huntington → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $80,660 | $104,110 | $94,623 (+17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $130,630 | $118,727 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $81,130 | $73,737 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $101,190 | $91,969 (+13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.