$100k salary, packing up from Cleveland

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

if you left cleveland

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

$110

the monthly premium over Cleveland

Barely costlier than Cleveland. If Roanoke pulls you in, it's the life it offers, not the price tag.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

3% cheaper than Cleveland(vs $1,419/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$147/mo more in state tax than Cleveland

vs 3.99% in Cleveland

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$110 less than Cleveland

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

04a house here

$296k

18% more expensive than Cleveland

vs $252k in Cleveland

05metro size

314k

vs 2.2M in Cleveland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Cleveland only logs 159 pleasant days.

Cleveland hosts 7.3× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

10% higher than Cleveland

vs 63/100 in Cleveland

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

·walk score®

94/100

2% lower than Cleveland

vs 96/100 in Cleveland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

84% fewer than Cleveland

vs 56 nonstops in Cleveland

04 · see also

same energy as roanoke, different zip code:

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