City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 13.9% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $113,900 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Roanoke, VA to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,942 in Sacramento | $87,764 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Roanoke → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $103,390 | $90,739 (+46.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $139,640 | $122,554 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $92,110 | $80,840 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $171,460 | $150,480 (+87.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.