Living Cost Compare
Charleston

West Virginia

$850/mo est.

vs
Hattiesburg

Mississippi

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $850 in Charleston, WV versus $1,030 in Hattiesburg, MS. Overall, Charleston, WV is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Hattiesburg, MS, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,512 in Charleston, WV and $44,140 in Hattiesburg, MS — about 32% higher in Charleston, WV. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Mississippi has a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax.

Charleston, WV
Hattiesburg, MS

Rent

Studio
$630
$630
about equal
1 Bedroom
$668
$841
+26% in Hattiesburg, MS
2 Bedroom
$980
$980
about equal
3 Bedroom
$1,139
$1,195
+5% in Hattiesburg, MS

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$187,300
$153,600
+18% in Charleston, WV

Income

Median Household Income
$64,512
$44,140
+32% in Charleston, WV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$45,830
$37,750
+18% in Charleston, WV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.6 yr
28.7 yr
+13.9 yr in Charleston, WV
Homeownership
62.8%
36.5%
+26.3 pp in Charleston, WV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.1%
35.0%
+9.1 pp in Charleston, WV
Avg Commute
17.9 min
17.0 min
+0.9 min in Charleston, WV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
542.7
221.5
+59% in Charleston, WV
Property Crime
3,148
3,475.7
+10% in Hattiesburg, MS

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
55.7°F
66.1°F
+10.4°F in Hattiesburg, MS
Annual Precipitation
44.0 in
59.2 in
+15.1 in in Hattiesburg, MS

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Charleston, WV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.4
14.9
+4% in Charleston, WV
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.68
$29.04
+18% in Hattiesburg, MS

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WV / MS)
6%
7%
+1.0 pp in MS
Income Tax (top rate)
4.82%
4.00%
+0.8 pp in WV

Charleston vs Hattiesburg — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Hattiesburg?
Charleston, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $850 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Hattiesburg, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Hattiesburg?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $27,000 a year in Charleston versus $34,000 in Hattiesburg.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Hattiesburg?
Charleston is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Hattiesburg under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% 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).