$100k a year, no longer in Madison

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

if you left madison

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

$334

under Madison, every month

Roanoke is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

17% cheaper than Madison(vs $1,673/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$43/mo less in state tax than Madison

vs 6.27% in Madison

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$334 more than Madison

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

04a house here

$296k

36% cheaper than Madison

vs $465k in Madison

05metro size

314k

vs 694k in Madison

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Madison barely cracks 147 pleasant ones.

But the calendar thins out: Madison stays 3.3× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

3% higher than Madison

vs 67/100 in Madison

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

·walk score®

94/100

7% higher than Madison

vs 88/100 in Madison

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

18% fewer than Madison

vs 11 nonstops in Madison

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as roanoke:

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