City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 1.1% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $101,100 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Knoxville, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Knoxville, TN to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −1.1%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (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
| Knoxville, TN | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,133 in Roanoke | $98,879 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
65 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
72 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Knoxville → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,210 | $122,380 | $121,009 (+18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $121,110 | $119,753 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $77,240 | $76,375 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $80,090 | $79,193 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.