City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 19.2% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $119,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Huntington, WV ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,876 in Huntington | $119,224 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Huntington, WV | Real change, Anchorage → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $57,450 | $68,494 (−13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $110,780 | $132,076 (+27.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $70,840 | $84,458 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $81,010 | $96,583 (−16.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.