Living Cost Compare
Huntington

West Virginia

$940/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Huntington, WV versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Huntington, WV is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Missoula, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $43,146 in Huntington, WV and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 34% higher in Missoula, MT. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Huntington, WV
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$762
$755
+1% in Huntington, WV
1 Bedroom
$758
$953
+26% in Missoula, MT
2 Bedroom
$881
$1,176
+33% in Missoula, MT
3 Bedroom
$1,121
$1,676
+50% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$118,800
$427,400
+260% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$43,146
$65,329
+51% in Missoula, MT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$44,600
$47,830
+7% in Missoula, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.9 yr
34.3 yr
+0.6 yr in Huntington, WV
Homeownership
52.5%
47.8%
+4.7 pp in Huntington, WV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.5%
51.7%
+17.2 pp in Missoula, MT
Avg Commute
18.6 min
16.6 min
+2.0 min in Huntington, WV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
800.3
601.9
+25% in Huntington, WV
Property Crime
3,617.9
3,685.2
+2% in Missoula, MT

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
45.9°F
+9.8°F in Huntington, WV
Annual Precipitation
42.6 in
14.1 in
+28.5 in in Huntington, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$4.27/gal
+8% in Missoula, MT

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.4
15.1
+2% in Huntington, WV
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.68
$10.12
+59% in Huntington, WV

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Missoula, MT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Missoula, MT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Huntington, WV
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Missoula, MT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Missoula, MT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Missoula, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WV / MT)
6%
None
+6.0 pp in WV
Income Tax (top rate)
4.82%
5.65%
+0.8 pp in MT

Huntington vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Huntington or Missoula?
Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Missoula, MT's $1,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Huntington than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Huntington versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Huntington or Missoula?
Huntington is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).