City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Huntington, WV (88.4) and Wichita, KS (88.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Huntington, WV goes as far as $100,600 in Wichita, KS.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $853 a month in Huntington, WV and $849 in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $895 a year higher in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,593 in Wichita | $99,411 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Wichita, KS
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$895/yr.
67 Fair offer
Wichita, KS → Huntington, WV
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$895/yr.
71 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Wichita, KS | Real change, Huntington → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $58,640 | $58,295 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $105,980 | $105,356 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $79,270 | $78,803 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $76,540 | $76,089 (−6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.