City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 1.2% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $101,200 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Waco, TX.
- 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 Waco, TX changes real buying power by +1.2%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,859 in Waco | $101,154 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
72 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
65 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 Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Waco, TX | Real change, Roanoke → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $59,100 | $59,782 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $123,080 | $124,500 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $76,140 | $77,019 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $92,890 | $93,962 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.