City comparison
Flint, MI vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Flint, MI (93.0) and Roanoke, VA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Flint, MI goes as far as $100,600 in Roanoke, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 14% in Flint, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $937 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Flint, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Flint, MI to Roanoke, VA ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (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
| Flint, MI | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,628 in Roanoke | $99,376 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$937/yr.
67 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$937/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Flint, MI to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Flint → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $62,010 | $61,623 (−6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $121,110 | $120,355 (+18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $77,240 | $76,758 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $80,090 | $79,590 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.