City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 9.5% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $109,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,866 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Roanoke, VA ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,287 in Roanoke | $109,545 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
99 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Philadelphia → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $62,010 | $67,929 (−13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $121,110 | $132,670 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $77,240 | $84,613 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $80,090 | $87,735 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.