City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntington, WV are 4.3% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $104,300 in Huntington, WV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $982 a month in Shreveport, LA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Shreveport, LA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,271 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Shreveport, LA.
- 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 Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +4.3%, purely from prices.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,865 in Shreveport | $104,313 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,271/yr.
82 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Huntington, WV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,271/yr.
56 Fair 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 Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Huntington → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $61,850 | $64,518 (+12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $96,680 | $100,850 (−9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $70,420 | $73,457 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $80,080 | $83,534 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.