City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 2.4% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $102,400 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,968 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Toledo, OH.
- 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 Roanoke, VA to Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +2.4%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,690 in Toledo | $102,365 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,968/yr.
76 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,968/yr.
62 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Roanoke, VA to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Toledo, OH | Real change, Roanoke → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $122,380 | $103,720 | $106,173 (−13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $104,360 | $106,828 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $77,400 | $79,231 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $81,050 | $82,967 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.