City comparison
Akron, OH vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Akron, OH (93.4) and Roanoke, VA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Akron, OH goes as far as $100,300 in Roanoke, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,968 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Roanoke, VA ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,266 in Roanoke | $99,735 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Akron, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,968/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Akron → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $62,010 | $61,846 (−21.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $121,110 | $120,789 (+14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $77,240 | $77,035 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $80,090 | $79,878 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.