Virginia and West Virginia at a glance
Moving between Virginia and West Virginia changes more than the scenery. On a $60,000 salary, Virginia leaves $21,549 a year after taxes, rent, food, energy and gasoline; West Virginia leaves $31,148.
West Virginia comes out ahead by $9,600 a year ($800 a month). The calculation starts from the same gross pay in both states, subtracts federal tax, Social Security and Medicare, then each state's own income tax, and then the population-weighted cost of a one-bedroom rental, groceries, home energy and gasoline across 8,705,170 people in 133 counties in Virginia and 1,778,373 people in 55 counties in West Virginia.
Taxes: what each paycheck loses
Federal income tax ($5,072) and FICA ($4,590) on $60,000 are the same on both sides of the border. State income tax takes $2,650 in Virginia and $1,965 in West Virginia, which leaves take-home pay of $47,688 and $48,374.
At $100,000
At $100,000 take-home pay is $73,951 in Virginia and $75,016 in West Virginia, a difference of $1,065. The gap widens with income because graduated state brackets take a growing share.
Living costs
One-bedroom rent averages $1,596 a month in Virginia and $840 in West Virginia, so West Virginia is $757 a month cheaper for housing. Food costs $3,436 a year in both, because the USDA Thrifty Food Plan is a national figure; home energy $2,119 and $2,169, and gasoline $1,429 and $1,543. Together the basics cost $26,140 a year in Virginia and $17,225 in West Virginia.
What the Census adds
Median household income is $93,170 in Virginia and $59,608 in West Virginia. Homeowners pay a median of $2,790 a year in property tax in Virginia and $865 in West Virginia. Commuters travel 27.3 minutes each way on average in Virginia and 26.6 in West Virginia.
Method
Taxes use the 2025 rules for a single filer with wage income only and the standard deduction. Housing and living costs are county figures from HUD (one-bedroom Fair Market Rent), the USDA Thrifty Food Plan and state energy prices from the Energy Information Administration, averaged across each state's counties and weighted by population, so large counties count more. Local income taxes are not included. Counties differ widely inside every state, so use the county pages for a specific place.