City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 3.5% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $103,500 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,645 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Roanoke, VA to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,501 in Tucson | $96,617 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,645/yr.
58 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,645/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Roanoke → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $47,220 | $45,623 (−26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $123,710 | $119,525 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $76,320 | $73,738 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $94,110 | $90,926 (+13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.