City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ocala, FL are 7.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $107,700 in Ocala, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,172 a month in Ocala, FL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Ocala, 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 Ocala, FL.
- 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 Ocala, FL changes real buying power by −7.2%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,704 in Ocala | $92,847 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,172/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Ocala, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
46 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
93 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 Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Ocala, FL | Real change, Huntington → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $57,540 | $53,424 (−7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $112,780 | $104,713 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $74,370 | $69,050 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $79,230 | $73,563 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.