City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 29.1% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $129,100 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, 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 Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Huntington, WV to Miami, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +29.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −17.5% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $129,102 in Miami | $77,458 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,995/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −22.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +29.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Miami, FL | Real change, Huntington → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −17.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −17.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −17.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −17.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −17.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $58,300 | $45,158 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $132,650 | $102,748 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $80,920 | $62,679 (−11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $91,380 | $70,781 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.