City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 11.3% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $111,300 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $307 a year higher in Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by +11.3%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,868 in Huntington | $111,274 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$307/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$307/yr.
38 Weak 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 Boise City, ID to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Huntington, WV | Real change, Boise City → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $57,450 | $63,927 (+4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $110,780 | $123,270 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $70,840 | $78,827 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $81,010 | $90,143 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.