City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Roanoke, VA (93.6) and Scranton, PA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Roanoke, VA goes as far as $99,900 in Scranton, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA and $1,028 in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,866 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Roanoke, VA to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by +0.1%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: 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
| Roanoke, VA | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,934 in Scranton | $100,066 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
69 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
69 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 Roanoke, VA to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Scranton, PA | Real change, Roanoke → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $76,590 | $76,641 (+23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $119,960 | $120,039 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $70,480 | $70,527 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $82,650 | $82,705 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.