City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 1.7% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $101,700 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA and $1,082 in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Winston, NC.
- 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by +1.7%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Roanoke, VA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,318 in Winston | $101,711 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Winston, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
74 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
63 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 Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Winston, NC | Real change, Roanoke → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $122,380 | $129,980 | $132,204 (+8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $124,130 | $126,254 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $78,950 | $80,301 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $86,120 | $87,594 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.