Living Cost Compare
Huntington

West Virginia

$940/mo est.

vs
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Huntington, WV versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Huntington, WV is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $43,146 in Huntington, WV and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 43% higher in Nashville, TN. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$762
$1,341
+76% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$758
$1,336
+76% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$881
$1,478
+68% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,121
$1,832
+63% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$118,800
$383,100
+222% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$43,146
$75,197
+74% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$44,600
$50,390
+13% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.9 yr
34.4 yr
+0.5 yr in Huntington, WV
Homeownership
52.5%
53.0%
+0.5 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.5%
46.9%
+12.4 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
18.6 min
24.9 min
+6.3 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
800.3
1,178.7
+47% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
3,617.9
4,558.5
+26% in Nashville, TN

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
59.4°F
+3.7°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
42.6 in
47.3 in
+4.7 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.85/gal
+2% in Huntington, WV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — vs WeGo Public Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.4
14.1
+9% in Huntington, WV
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.68
$19.75
+20% in Huntington, WV

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 / TN)
6%
7%
+1.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
4.82%
None
+4.8 pp in WV

Huntington vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Huntington or Nashville?
Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Huntington than in Nashville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Huntington versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Huntington or Nashville?
Huntington is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax 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).