City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 6.7% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $106,700 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Roanoke, VA to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,702 in Tuscaloosa | $106,721 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$201/yr.
90 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$201/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Roanoke → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $60,220 | $64,268 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $104,870 | $111,919 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $71,690 | $76,508 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $75,250 | $80,308 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.