City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 5.4% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $105,400 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,866 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Roanoke, VA ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,899 in Roanoke | $105,375 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
86 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Harrisburg → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $62,010 | $65,343 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $121,110 | $127,620 (+16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $77,240 | $81,392 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $80,090 | $84,395 (−12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.