City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 7.2% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $107,200 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,402 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Ogden, UT.
- 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 Ogden, UT to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by +7.2%, purely from prices.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Ogden, UT | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,292 in Roanoke | $107,190 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,402/yr.
91 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,402/yr.
48 Fair 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 Ogden, UT to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Ogden → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $62,010 | $66,468 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $121,110 | $129,818 (+18.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $77,240 | $82,793 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $80,090 | $85,848 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.