City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 4.8% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $104,800 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Roanoke, VA ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: 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
| Raleigh, NC | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,376 in Roanoke | $104,848 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
84 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Raleigh → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $62,010 | $65,017 (+8.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $121,110 | $126,982 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $77,240 | $80,985 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $80,090 | $83,973 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.