City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 2.1% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $102,100 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Des Moines, IA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,788 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Des Moines, IA to Roanoke, VA ($107,301 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much 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
| Des Moines, IA | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,090 in Roanoke | $97,952 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,788/yr.
62 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,788/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Des Moines → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $62,010 | $60,740 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $121,110 | $118,630 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $77,240 | $75,658 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $80,090 | $78,450 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.