Moving to Massachusetts from West Virginia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from West Virginia to Massachusetts — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from West Virginia to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 46.1% more expensive than West Virginia. A $75,000 salary in West Virginia would need to be roughly $111,421 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Boston averages 59°F vs 73°F in Charleston, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from West Virginia to Massachusetts.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $111,421
To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 19.6% more
Groceries
pay 33.7% more
Transportation
pay 7.6% more
Housing
pay 63.6% more
Childcare
pay 2.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.8% more
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from West Virginia to Massachusetts.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
West Virginia generally does better on safety, though Massachusetts leads in property 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 significantly 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 better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
West Virginia generally does better on infrastructure, though Massachusetts leads in internet access.
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 significantly 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 | Charleston | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Charleston | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) |
| Feb | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) |
| Mar | 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) |
| Apr | 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) |
| Jun | 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) |
| Sep | 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) |
| Oct | 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) |
| Dec | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C) | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts than West Virginia?
No — Massachusetts is on average about 49% more expensive than West Virginia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $27,855 in Massachusetts on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Massachusetts safe?
West Virginia generally does better on safety, though Massachusetts leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to West Virginia?
Massachusetts performs significantly better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Massachusetts compared to West Virginia?
The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 73°F in Charleston. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Charleston gets 44.4 in.
