← All States

District of Columbia

High tax burden · COL index 152

Wins 5 categories

VS

West Virginia

Moderate tax burden · COL index 82

Wins 7 categories

District of Columbia's top income tax rate is 10.75% vs West Virginia's 5.12%. Cost of living in District of Columbia (index 152) runs 85% higher than West Virginia (index 82). The median home in District of Columbia costs $640K vs $155K in West Virginia. Politically, West Virginia voted Republican in 2024 (R+36.0) while District of Columbia went Democratic (D+87.0).

District of Columbia
West Virginia

Taxes

10.75%
Income Tax (top rate)
5.12%
0.56%/yr
Property Tax Rate
0.57%/yr
6%
Sales Tax (avg)
6.37%
Yes
Social Security Tax
Yes
No
Estate Tax
Yes
As income
Capital Gains Tax
As income

Housing & Cost of Living

152
COL Index (100=avg)
82
$640K
Median Home Price
$155K
$2,900/mo
Median Rent (2BR/mo)
$900/mo
$1K/yr
Home Insurance (avg/yr)
$1K/yr

Crime & Safety

750
Violent Crime / 100K
278
3,600
Property Crime / 100K
1,380

Healthcare

#5 of 50
Healthcare Quality Rank
#46 of 50
77.1 yrs
Life Expectancy
71.9 yrs
3.9%
Uninsured Rate
6.6%
Yes
Medicaid Expansion
Yes

Education

#40 of 50
K-12 Quality Rank
#49 of 50
Yes
School Choice / Vouchers
Yes

Childcare

$2,350/mo
Avg Infant Care / mo
$850/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

$130/mo
Avg Energy Bill / mo
$125/mo
$620/mo
Avg Groceries / mo
$400/mo
#48 of 50
Road Quality Rank
#45 of 50

Social Policy

A
Gun Laws Grade
F
D+87.0
2024 Presidential Margin
R+36.0

Category wins

5

District of Columbia

7

West Virginia

Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.

Score For My Profile →

People Also Ask

Is WV or PA cheaper to live in?

Overall cost of living in Philadelphia, PA is 28.2% higher than in Charleston, WV. The average listing price for a home in Philadelphia, PA is $524,116, which is 80.7% higher than Charleston, WV. The average cost of groceries in Philadelphia, PA is 6.6% higher than Charleston, WV.

Is West Virginia offering $20,000 to new residents?

What is the downfall of living in West Virginia?

What fruit is WV known for?

Full District of Columbia Profile →Full West Virginia Profile →

Your Priorities

Adjust and every page updates live

Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable