City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cleveland, OH (93.9) and Roanoke, VA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cleveland, OH goes as far as $99,700 in Roanoke, VA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,053 in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,968 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Roanoke, VA ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,675 in Roanoke | $100,326 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,968/yr.
70 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,968/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Cleveland → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $62,010 | $62,212 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $121,110 | $121,505 (+9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $77,240 | $77,492 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $80,090 | $80,351 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.