City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 8.0% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $108,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,917 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Huntington, WV ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,619 in Huntington | $107,970 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,917/yr.
94 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,917/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Huntington, WV | Real change, Columbus → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $57,450 | $62,029 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $110,780 | $119,609 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $70,840 | $76,486 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $81,010 | $87,466 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.