City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 7.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $107,700 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $682 a year higher in Savannah, GA 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 Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −7.1%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Savannah, GA: 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 | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,672 in Savannah | $92,874 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$682/yr.
46 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$682/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 Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Savannah, GA | Real change, Huntington → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $63,710 | $59,170 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $123,220 | $114,440 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $79,790 | $74,104 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $86,760 | $80,578 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.