City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 7.1% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $107,100 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $937 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Roanoke, VA ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,340 in Roanoke | $107,135 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$937/yr.
91 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$937/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Detroit → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $62,010 | $66,435 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $121,110 | $129,752 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $77,240 | $82,751 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $80,090 | $85,805 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.