City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 8.4% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $108,400 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $975 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Huntington, WV ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- 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
| Buffalo, NY | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,256 in Huntington | $108,394 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$975/yr.
95 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$975/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Huntington, WV | Real change, Buffalo → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $57,450 | $62,272 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $110,780 | $120,079 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $70,840 | $76,786 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $81,010 | $87,810 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.