City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Montgomery, AL are 1.4% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $101,400 in Montgomery, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $853 a month in Huntington, WV and $870 in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $850 a year higher in Montgomery, 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by −1.4%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,425 in Montgomery | $98,595 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $870/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% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Montgomery, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$850/yr.
64 Fair offer
Montgomery, AL → Huntington, WV
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$850/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Huntington → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $59,610 | $58,773 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $110,620 | $109,066 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $75,040 | $73,986 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $79,570 | $78,452 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.