City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Little Rock, AR are 1.1% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $101,100 in Little Rock, AR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,885 a year in WV and $3,687 in AR.
- 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 Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by −1.1%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,065 in Little Rock | $98,946 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$198/yr.
65 Fair offer
Little Rock, AR → Huntington, WV
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$198/yr.
72 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 Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Huntington → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $58,580 | $57,962 (+0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $104,070 | $102,973 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $65,810 | $65,116 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $81,070 | $80,215 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.