City comparison
New York, NY vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 20.2% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $120,200 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from New York, NY to Roanoke, VA ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much 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
| New York, NY | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,169 in Roanoke | $120,236 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$76/yr.
100 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.8%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax −$76/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Roanoke, VA | Real change, New York → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $62,010 | $74,559 (−23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $121,110 | $145,618 (−12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $77,240 | $92,871 (−12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $80,090 | $96,297 (−19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.