City comparison
Provo, UT vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 4.9% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $104,900 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,402 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by +4.9%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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
| Provo, UT | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,303 in Roanoke | $104,929 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,402/yr.
84 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,402/yr.
54 Fair 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 Provo, UT to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Provo → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $62,010 | $65,066 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $121,110 | $127,079 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $77,240 | $81,047 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $80,090 | $84,037 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.