City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 20.9% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $120,900 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,885 in WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Huntington, WV ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −17.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (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
| Bridgeport, CT | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,743 in Huntington | $120,857 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$40/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$40/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Huntington, WV | Real change, Bridgeport → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $57,450 | $69,432 (−29.6%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $110,780 | $133,885 (−17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $70,840 | $85,615 (−16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $81,010 | $97,906 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.