City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 5.9% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $105,900 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $958 a year higher in Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by +5.9%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,405 in Huntington | $105,926 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$958/yr.
87 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$958/yr.
51 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 Columbia, SC to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Huntington, WV | Real change, Columbia → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $57,450 | $60,855 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $110,780 | $117,345 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $70,840 | $75,038 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $81,010 | $85,811 (+4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.