City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 9.4% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $109,400 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Gainesville, FL.
- 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 Gainesville, FL to Huntington, WV changes real buying power by +9.4%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,408 in Huntington | $109,399 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
98 Strong offer
Huntington, WV → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
42 Weak 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 Gainesville, FL to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Huntington, WV | Real change, Gainesville → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $57,450 | $62,850 (+11.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $110,780 | $121,192 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $70,840 | $77,498 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $81,010 | $88,624 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.