| Index | Huntington | Virginia | National |
| Cost of living | 138 | 111 | 100 |
| Groceries | 101 | 103 | 100 |
| Health care | 102 | 103 | 100 |
| Housing | 217 | 129 | 100 |
| Transportation | 109 | 105 | 100 |
| Utilities | 101 | 104 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 105 | 103 | 100 |
| Household Items | 102 | 102 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 115 | 109 | 100 |

Knowing the cost of living in Huntington allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Huntington stands at 138, marking it 38% higher than the national average.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Huntington may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Huntington falls within this bracket.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Huntington cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 116.9% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Is Huntington affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Huntington, for instance, where the median home price falls 130.4% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 85.5% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Huntington flaunting a median household income of $137,725, 69.3% higher than the national norm.
Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.
Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Huntington, the groceries index is 0.7% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
The Huntington cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $203,726 | $16,977 | $4,753 | $6,112 |
| Renters | $105,085 | $8,757 | $2,452 | $3,153 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Virginia | 5.3% | 6% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Virginia | 2% | 5.75% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Cedarville, MD | 599 | 110 | 10.1% |
| Rose Hill CDP (Lee County), VA | 731 | 89 | 11.0% |
| Potomac Heights, MD | 1,295 | 90 | 10.5% |
| Woodlawn CDP (Carroll County), VA | 2,334 | 89 | 11.3% |
| Wakefield town, VA | 838 | 92 | 8.4% |
| Huntington, VA | 13,931 | 138 | 38.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Bay St. Louis, MS | 13,930 | 98 | 2.4% |
| Celina, TX | 13,935 | 121 | 20.8% |
| Gladeview, FL | 13,938 | 99 | 1.4% |
| Ridge, NY | 13,941 | 126 | 26.1% |
| Canton, IL | 13,910 | 87 | 12.9% |
| Huntington, VA | 13,931 | 138 | 38.2% |