City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 14.2% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $114,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Huntington, WV to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +14.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.1% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,241 in Reno | $87,534 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
38 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Reno, NV | Real change, Huntington → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $62,430 | $54,648 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $125,710 | $110,039 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $82,370 | $72,102 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $107,520 | $94,117 (+16.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.