City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 4.8% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $104,800 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, 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 Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Huntington, WV ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,391 in Huntington | $104,831 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,917/yr.
84 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,917/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Huntington, WV | Real change, Dayton → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $57,450 | $60,226 (−25.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $110,780 | $116,132 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $70,840 | $74,263 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $81,010 | $84,924 (+2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.