City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 11.0% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $111,000 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $404 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Huntington, WV to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,010 in Raleigh | $90,082 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$404/yr.
37 Weak offer
Raleigh, NC → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$404/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Huntington → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $60,170 | $54,202 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $132,770 | $119,602 (+8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $81,950 | $73,822 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $84,830 | $76,417 (−5.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.