Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

vs
Huntington

West Virginia

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,020 in El Paso, TX versus $940 in Huntington, WV. Overall, Huntington, WV is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than El Paso, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $43,146 in Huntington, WV — about 27% higher in El Paso, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$707
$762
+8% in Huntington, WV
1 Bedroom
$816
$758
+7% in El Paso, TX
2 Bedroom
$993
$881
+11% in El Paso, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,121
+10% in El Paso, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$118,800
+31% in El Paso, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$43,146
+27% in El Paso, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$44,600
+13% in Huntington, WV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
34.9 yr
+0.8 yr in Huntington, WV
Homeownership
60.2%
52.5%
+7.7 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
34.5%
+7.0 pp in Huntington, WV
Avg Commute
23.7 min
18.6 min
+5.1 min in El Paso, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
800.3
+150% in Huntington, WV
Property Crime
1,509.3
3,617.9
+140% 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
64.6°F
55.7°F
+8.9°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
42.6 in
+32.9 in in Huntington, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.94/gal
+10% in Huntington, WV

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50

Adult base one-way fare — Sun Metro vs (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
15.4
+3% in El Paso, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$24.68
+23% in El Paso, TX

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 (TX / WV)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.82%
+4.8 pp in WV

El Paso vs Huntington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Huntington?
Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below El Paso, TX's $1,020, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Huntington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $30,000 in Huntington.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Huntington?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).