City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 17.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $117,700 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,185 a year higher in Modesto, 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 Modesto, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +17.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,740 in Modesto | $84,933 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,356/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $50,610 |
| 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 Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,185/yr.
38 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Modesto, CA | Real change, Huntington → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $80,660 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $119,770 | $101,724 (−8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $83,560 | $70,970 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $132,590 | $112,613 (+39.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.