City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 5.1% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $105,100 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $503 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Lexington, KY.
- 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 Huntington, WV to Lexington, KY changes real buying power by −4.8%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,052 in Lexington | $95,191 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$503/yr.
54 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$503/yr.
85 Strong 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 Huntington, WV to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Lexington, KY | Real change, Huntington → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $61,460 | $58,504 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $123,510 | $117,570 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $77,780 | $74,040 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $79,040 | $75,239 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.