City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 1.9% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $101,900 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,265 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Roanoke, VA ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much 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
| Omaha, NE | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,857 in Roanoke | $98,177 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,265/yr.
63 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,265/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Omaha → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $62,010 | $60,879 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $121,110 | $118,902 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $77,240 | $75,832 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $80,090 | $78,630 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.