City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 18.7% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $118,700 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Roanoke, VA to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +18.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,709 in Seattle | $84,240 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Seattle, WA | Real change, Roanoke → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $102,920 | $86,699 (+39.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $167,280 | $140,916 (+16.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $99,370 | $83,709 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $128,260 | $108,046 (+34.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.