Is it cheaper to live in Huntington or Seattle?

Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Huntington versus $74,000 in Seattle.

Which has lower taxes, Huntington or Seattle?

Huntington is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Huntington vs Seattle Cost of Living 2026

Huntington

West Virginia

$940/mo est.

Seattle

Washington

$2,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Huntington, WV versus $2,030 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Huntington, WV is roughly 54% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $43,146 in Huntington, WV and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 65% higher in Seattle, WA. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Huntington, WV

Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio

$762

$1,638

+115% in Seattle, WA

1 Bedroom

$758

$1,858

+145% in Seattle, WA

2 Bedroom

$881

$2,359

+168% in Seattle, WA

3 Bedroom

$1,121

$2,918

+160% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$118,800

$912,100

+668% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$43,146

$121,984

+183% in Seattle, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$44,600

$72,610

+63% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.9 yr

35.5 yr

+0.6 yr in Seattle, WA

Homeownership

52.5%

44.2%

+8.3 pp in Huntington, WV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

34.5%

67.5%

+33.0 pp in Seattle, WA

Avg Commute

18.6 min

26.6 min

+8.0 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

800.3

788.6

+1% in Huntington, WV

Property Crime

3,617.9

5,108.8

+41% in Seattle, WA

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

53.5°F

+2.2°F in Huntington, WV

Annual Precipitation

42.6 in

37.7 in

+4.9 in in Huntington, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.41/gal

+37% in Seattle, WA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

14.9

+3% in Huntington, WV

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.68

$21.34

+14% in Huntington, WV

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Seattle, WA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Seattle, WA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Huntington, WV

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Seattle, WA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Seattle, WA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Seattle, WA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WV / WA)

6.5%

+0.5 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

4.82%

None

+4.8 pp in WV

Huntington vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Huntington or Seattle?: Huntington, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Huntington than in Seattle?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $30,000 a year in Huntington versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Huntington or Seattle?: Huntington is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).