City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 12.4% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $112,400 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,244 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Roanoke, VA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,989 in Roanoke | $112,374 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,244/yr.
100 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,244/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Boulder → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $62,010 | $69,683 (−13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $121,110 | $136,096 (−17.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,240 | $86,797 (−13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $80,090 | $90,000 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.