City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Clarksville, TN are 2.9% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $102,900 in Clarksville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, TN and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Clarksville, TN.
- 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 Clarksville, TN to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by +2.9%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much 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
| Clarksville, TN | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,224 in Huntington | $102,856 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
78 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Clarksville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
60 Fair 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 Clarksville, TN to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Huntington, WV | Real change, Clarksville → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $57,450 | $59,091 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $110,780 | $113,943 (+17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $70,840 | $72,863 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $81,010 | $83,323 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.