City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 1.6% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $101,600 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, 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 Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,561 in Roanoke | $98,463 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/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 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
64 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Memphis, TN to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Memphis → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $62,010 | $61,057 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $121,110 | $119,248 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $77,240 | $76,053 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $80,090 | $78,859 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.