City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 16.0% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $116,000 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $815 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Huntington, WV to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +16.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,982 in Philadelphia | $86,220 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$815/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$815/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Huntington → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $78,570 | $67,743 (+17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $133,040 | $114,707 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $85,990 | $74,141 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $101,180 | $87,237 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.