City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 4.7% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $104,700 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,885 a year in WV and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Huntington, WV to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,661 in Kansas City | $95,547 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Kansas City, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$122/yr.
55 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$122/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Huntington → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $61,060 | $58,341 (+1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $124,990 | $119,424 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $80,040 | $76,476 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $83,040 | $79,342 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.