City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 2.6% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $102,600 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,936 in VA.
- 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 Peoria, IL to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −2.5%, purely from prices.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (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
| Peoria, IL | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,616 in Roanoke | $97,450 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$131/yr.
61 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$131/yr.
77 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 Peoria, IL to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Peoria → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $62,010 | $60,429 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $121,110 | $118,022 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $77,240 | $75,271 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $80,090 | $78,048 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.