Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $950 in Morgantown, WV. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $42,245 in Morgantown, WV — about 37% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$836
+26% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$770
+33% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$969
+30% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,038
+33% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$238,200
+10% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$42,245
+37% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$47,350
+3% in Jacksonville, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
24.0 yr
+12.4 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
44.3%
+13.1 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
58.1%
+26.3 pp in Morgantown, WV
Avg Commute
24.1 min
17.3 min
+6.8 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
216.3
+61% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,600.1
1,976.4
+24% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
53.0°F
+17.2°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
41.8 in
+7.4 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.83/gal
$3.94/gal
+3% in Morgantown, WV

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
15.4
+2% in Morgantown, WV
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$24.68
+4% in Morgantown, 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 (FL / WV)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.82%
+4.8 pp in WV

Jacksonville vs Morgantown — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Morgantown?
Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Morgantown?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $31,000 in Morgantown.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Morgantown?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Morgantown 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).