City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 15.9% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $115,900 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $895 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Huntington, WV to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,947 in Worcester | $86,246 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,599/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 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$895/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$895/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Worcester, MA | Real change, Huntington → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $82,810 | $71,420 (+24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $146,950 | $126,739 (+14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $94,070 | $81,132 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $100,240 | $86,453 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.