City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 11.1% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $111,100 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,185 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Huntington, WV to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.5% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,143 in Merced | $89,974 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
Merced, CA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Merced, CA | Real change, Huntington → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +12.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +12.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +12.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +12.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +12.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $100,120 | $90,082 (+56.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $132,120 | $118,874 (+7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $80,420 | $72,357 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $131,620 | $118,424 (+46.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.