City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 8.6% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $108,600 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $895 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Huntington, WV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Huntington, WV to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntington, WV | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,639 in Springfield | $92,048 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$895/yr.
44 Weak offer
Springfield, MA → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$895/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntington, WV to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Springfield, MA | Real change, Huntington → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $79,640 | $73,307 (+27.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $127,740 | $117,582 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $92,010 | $84,693 (+19.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $98,410 | $90,584 (+11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.