Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Huntington?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Huntington, WV's $940, mainly because of natural gas costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Huntington?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $30,000 in Huntington.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Huntington?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Huntington under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax).

Casper vs Huntington Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Huntington

West Virginia

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $940 in Huntington, WV. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Huntington, WV, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $43,146 in Huntington, WV — about 38% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Huntington, WV

Rent

Studio

$730

$762

+4% in Huntington, WV

1 Bedroom

$764

$758

+1% in Casper, WY

2 Bedroom

$930

$881

+5% in Casper, WY

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,121

+14% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$118,800

+53% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$43,146

+38% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$44,600

+9% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

34.9 yr

+2.1 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

52.5%

+17.8 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

34.5%

+4.5 pp in Huntington, WV

Avg Commute

16.9 min

18.6 min

+1.7 min in Huntington, WV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

800.3

+165% in Huntington, WV

Property Crime

2,123.8

3,617.9

+70% in Huntington, WV

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

55.7°F

+10.3°F in Huntington, WV

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

42.6 in

+30.1 in in Huntington, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

15.4

+1% in Huntington, WV

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$24.68

+35% in Huntington, WV

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Huntington, WV

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / WV)

+2.0 pp in WV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.82%

+4.8 pp in WV

Casper vs Huntington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Huntington?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Huntington, WV's $940, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Huntington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $30,000 in Huntington.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Huntington?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Huntington under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).