City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 18.5% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $118,500 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,392 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Huntington, WV to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +18.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,547 in Minneapolis | $84,354 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,392/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,392/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Huntington → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $79,730 | $67,256 (+17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $130,920 | $110,437 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $86,500 | $72,967 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $103,040 | $86,919 (+7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.