City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 7.1% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $107,100 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,968 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Roanoke, VA to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.9% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,352 in Youngstown | $107,122 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,968/yr.
91 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,968/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Roanoke → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +11.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +11.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +11.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +11.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +11.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $72,560 | $77,728 (+25.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $107,990 | $115,681 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $73,080 | $78,285 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $78,680 | $84,283 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.