City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 10.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $110,700 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,051 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Huntington, WV to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,672 in Richmond | $90,357 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,051/yr.
39 Weak offer
Richmond, VA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,051/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Richmond, VA | Real change, Huntington → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $61,290 | $55,380 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $132,120 | $119,380 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $84,220 | $76,099 (+7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $93,580 | $84,557 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.