Moving to West Virginia from Massachusetts
What to Expect
Considering a move from Massachusetts to West Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Massachusetts to West Virginia, you would find that West Virginia is 23.7% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $50,484 in West Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Charleston averages 73°F vs 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and West Virginia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $50,484
To maintain the same standard of living in West Virginia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 15.9% less
Groceries
pay 23.5% less
Transportation
pay 7.0% less
Housing
pay 24.2% less
Childcare
pay 58.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 28.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in West Virginia compared to Massachusetts.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though West Virginia leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Massachusetts performs better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
West Virginia performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though West Virginia leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though West Virginia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Massachusetts performs better than West Virginia across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Boston | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in West Virginia than Massachusetts?
On average West Virginia is about 33% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to West Virginia?
Budget about $12,621 for 3 months in West Virginia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is West Virginia safe?
Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though West Virginia leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in West Virginia compared to Massachusetts?
Massachusetts performs better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in West Virginia compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Charleston is 73°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Charleston receives around 44.4 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
