City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 1.6% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $101,600 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,173 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Roanoke, VA to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,570 in St. Louis | $98,454 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → St. Louis, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,173/yr.
64 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,173/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Roanoke → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $60,650 | $59,712 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $129,030 | $127,035 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $78,880 | $77,661 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $83,180 | $81,894 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.