Romney, WV vs Locust Fork, AL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Locust Fork, AL has a modeled overall cost index 10.6% lower than Romney, WV.

Romney, WV · modeled 2BR rent: $1,420 / month
Locust Fork, AL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,220 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Romney, WV and Locust Fork, AL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Romney, WV

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,141/month in Locust Fork, AL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,305 in Locust Fork, AL

Regional cost estimates: Romney, WV uses Washington, DC. Locust Fork, AL uses Birmingham, AL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 10.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,141

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Romney, WV

Population:2K

Cost Index:

86.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$218K

Locust Fork, AL

Population:1K

Cost Index:

77.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$219K

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Romney, WV

The Mountain State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in West Virginia, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Locust Fork, AL

The Heart of Dixie

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Alabama, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Romney, WV vs Locust Fork, AL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Romney, WV	Locust Fork, AL	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,425/mo	$1,657/mo	↓ $1,768less	51.6%
Other	$1,118/mo	$1,507/mo	↑ $388more	34.7%
All Utilities	$413/mo	$549/mo	↑ $136more	33.1%
Groceries	$876/mo	$973/mo	↑ $97.35more	11.1%
Healthcare	$513/mo	$522/mo	↑ $8.80more	1.7%
Transportation	$1,155/mo	$1,151/mo	↓ $4.19less	0.4%

Housing

↓ 51.6%

Romney, WV

$3,425

Locust Fork, AL

$1,657

Difference

$1,768

less

Other

↑ 34.7%

Romney, WV

$1,118

Locust Fork, AL

$1,507

Difference

$388

All Utilities

↑ 33.1%

Romney, WV

$413

Locust Fork, AL

$549

Difference

$136

Groceries

↑ 11.1%

Romney, WV

$876

Locust Fork, AL

$973

Difference

$97.35

Healthcare

↑ 1.7%

Romney, WV

$513

Locust Fork, AL

$522

Difference

$8.80

Transportation

↓ 0.4%

Romney, WV

$1,155

Locust Fork, AL

$1,151

Difference

$4.19

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$990

To$990

→ $0

1 Bed

From$1,130

To$1,110

↓ $20.00

2 Bed

From$1,420

To$1,220

↓ $200

3 Bed

From$1,760

To$1,530

↓ $230

Romney, WVZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,130–$1,130/mo

Locust Fork, ALZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,110–$1,110/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Romney, WV

$6,359

Monthly in Locust Fork, AL

$1,141

Difference

Home Values

Romney

Locust Fork

$218K

Median Value

$219K

↓ -0.4%

YoY Change

↓ -2.8%

↑ +42.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +15.1%

Calculate payment - Romney Calculate payment - Locust Fork

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.2K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$97.08

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.8%

Rate difference

Romney, WV

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

West Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.8%

$8.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.4%

$45.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,697/month

$104.4K

Locust Fork, AL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Alabama State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,794/month

$105.5K

Additional Tax Information

Romney, WV Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.7%

Property Tax:0.6%

Locust Fork, AL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.1%

Property Tax:0.4%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Romney

Locust Fork

45 Good

Air Quality

57 Moderate

63.7%

Good Air Days

26%

98 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌀🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

27 days

Heat Days >95°F

41 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

27 days

Heat Days >95°F

41 days

Before moving from Romney, WV to Locust Fork, AL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Locust Fork, AL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Romney, WV. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Romney to Locust Fork moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Locust Fork, AL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Romney, WV vs Locust Fork, AL

How do the cost estimates for Romney, WV and Locust Fork, AL compare?

Locust Fork, AL has a modeled overall cost index 10.6% lower than Romney, WV. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Romney, WV, the model estimates $136,305 in Locust Fork, AL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Romney, WV and Locust Fork, AL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,420/month in Romney, WV and $1,220/month in Locust Fork, AL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between West Virginia and Alabama on TaxTakeHome.com

Where your money goes further

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