same $100k income, fresh start from Lafayette

change
Roanoke, VA cityscape

swapping out of lafayette

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

$279

pricier each month than Lafayette

You'd pay for Roanoke. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

4% more expensive than Lafayette(vs $1,332/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$229/mo more in state tax than Lafayette

vs 3% in Lafayette

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$279 less than Lafayette

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

04a house here

$296k

48% more expensive than Lafayette

vs $200k in Lafayette

05metro size

314k

vs 414k in Lafayette

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Lafayette actually gets more: 211 pleasant days a year.

2.4× the events of Lafayette, and the calendar shows it.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

60% higher than Lafayette

vs 43/100 in Lafayette

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

·walk score®

94/100

11% higher than Lafayette

vs 85/100 in Lafayette

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

200% more than Lafayette

vs 3 nonstops in Lafayette

04 · see also

if roanoke appeals, also worth a look:

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