City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 10.4% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $110,400 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,322 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Shreveport, LA.
- 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 Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +10.4%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,545 in Shreveport | $110,443 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,322/yr.
100 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,322/yr.
39 Weak 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 Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Roanoke → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $61,850 | $68,309 (+10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $96,680 | $106,776 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $70,420 | $77,774 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $80,080 | $88,443 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.