City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Huntington, WV (88.4) and Mobile, AL (88.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Huntington, WV goes as far as $99,600 in Mobile, AL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $919 a month in Mobile, AL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Mobile, AL and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $850 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Huntington, WV.
- 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 Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +0.4%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,634 in Mobile | $100,368 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Mobile, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$850/yr.
70 Fair offer
Mobile, AL → Huntington, WV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$850/yr.
68 Fair 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 Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Mobile, AL | Real change, Huntington → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $80,660 | $121,810 | $122,258 (+51.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $122,540 | $122,991 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $72,130 | $72,395 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $79,490 | $79,782 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.