$100k salary, packing up from Boise

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

next stop after boise

Roanoke

va · metro 314k

photo: Joseph Fuller / pexels

a dispatch from

roanoke

VA

37.27°N

79.94°W

Roanoke is the Star City of the South, named for the enormous illuminated star on Mill Mountain that's been lighting up the valley since 1949. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs right past town. The downtown has come back beautifully with the Taubman Museum, breweries, and a thriving market. The surrounding mountains are gorgeous in every season. Smaller and more scenic than people expect.

metro314k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$416

below Boise's monthly cost

The gap is real. Roanoke costs noticeably less than Boise, every month.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

23% cheaper than Boise(vs $1,794/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$4/mo less in state tax than Boise

vs 5.8% in Boise

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$416 more than Boise

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$296k

40% cheaper than Boise

vs $490k in Boise

05metro size

314k

vs 827k in Boise

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Boise barely cracks 166 pleasant ones.

69% fewer events than Boise. The pace eases up.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

16% lower than Boise

vs 82/100 in Boise

Closest outdoor draw: Smith Mountain Lake State Park, 22.3 mi.

·walk score®

94/100

2% lower than Boise

vs 96/100 in Boise

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

44% fewer than Boise

vs 16 nonstops in Boise

04 · see also

neighbors of roanoke on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

chattanooga

$337/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

el paso

$388/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

lexington

more flight options

turn the page

compare roanoke with:

ChattanoogaEl PasoLexington