City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 4.4% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $104,400 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,936 in VA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Montgomery, AL to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −4.2%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (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
| Montgomery, AL | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,389 in Roanoke | $95,796 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$201/yr.
56 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$201/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Montgomery, AL to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Montgomery → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $62,010 | $59,403 (−0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $121,110 | $116,018 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $77,240 | $73,993 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $80,090 | $76,723 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.