City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 16.8% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $116,800 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,594 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Huntington, WV to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +16.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.5% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,844 in Phoenix | $85,584 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,594/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,594/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Huntington → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $59,180 | $50,649 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $131,750 | $112,757 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $80,820 | $69,169 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $100,830 | $86,294 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.