City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 4.2% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $104,200 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −4.1%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,249 in Memphis | $95,924 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
56 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
82 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Memphis, TN | Real change, Huntington → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $61,510 | $59,003 (+2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $125,580 | $120,462 (+8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $76,960 | $73,823 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $81,500 | $78,178 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.