City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 4.0% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $104,000 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Roanoke, VA ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Charlotte, NC | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,168 in Roanoke | $103,984 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
81 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Charlotte → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $62,010 | $64,481 (+9.9%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $121,110 | $125,935 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $77,240 | $80,317 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $80,090 | $83,281 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.