City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 10.8% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $110,800 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,051 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Huntington, WV to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, 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 | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,765 in Virginia Beach | $90,281 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,512/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 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,051/yr.
38 Weak offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; 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; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Huntington → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $63,380 | $57,220 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $129,090 | $116,544 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $79,450 | $71,728 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $89,450 | $80,756 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.