City comparison
Reno, NV vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 7.9% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $107,900 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to Roanoke, VA ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,678 in Roanoke | $107,900 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
93 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Reno → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $62,010 | $66,909 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $121,110 | $130,678 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $77,240 | $83,342 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $80,090 | $86,417 (−19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.