City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 14.1% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $114,100 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,885 in WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Huntington, WV ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,651 in Huntington | $114,089 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$114/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$114/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Huntington, WV | Real change, Ann Arbor → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $57,450 | $65,544 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $110,780 | $126,388 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $70,840 | $80,821 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $81,010 | $92,424 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.