City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 5.0% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $105,000 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,220 a month in Lancaster, PA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Lancaster, PA to Roanoke, VA ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (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
| Lancaster, PA | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,279 in Roanoke | $104,955 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/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 | $48,210 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
84 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, 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 Lancaster, PA to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Lancaster → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $62,010 | $65,083 (−16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $121,110 | $127,111 (+21.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $77,240 | $81,067 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $80,090 | $84,059 (−6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.