City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 12.0% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $112,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $341 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Roanoke, VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Roanoke, VA ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,311 in Roanoke | $111,968 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$341/yr.
100 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$341/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Minneapolis → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $62,010 | $69,431 (−12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $121,110 | $135,604 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $77,240 | $86,484 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $80,090 | $89,675 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.