City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 5.8% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $105,800 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $815 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −5.5%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,806 in Scranton | $94,512 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$815/yr.
52 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$815/yr.
87 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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Scranton, PA | Real change, Huntington → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $76,590 | $72,387 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $119,960 | $113,377 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $70,480 | $66,612 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $82,650 | $78,114 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.