City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 15.1% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $115,100 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $737 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Huntington, WV to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,099 in Providence | $86,882 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$737/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$737/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Providence, RI | Real change, Huntington → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $86,720 | $75,344 (+31.1%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $130,690 | $113,546 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $95,020 | $82,555 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $99,880 | $86,777 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.