$100k a year, no longer in Milwaukee

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

if you left milwaukee

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.

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$165

under Milwaukee, every month

A near-tie on cost. What separates Roanoke is the life around the numbers.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

8% cheaper than Milwaukee(vs $1,504/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$43/mo less in state tax than Milwaukee

vs 6.27% in Milwaukee

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$165 more than Milwaukee

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

04a house here

$296k

25% cheaper than Milwaukee

vs $394k in Milwaukee

05metro size

314k

vs 1.6M in Milwaukee

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Milwaukee only manages 149 of those.

Noticeably quieter than Milwaukee. About 83% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

13% higher than Milwaukee

vs 61/100 in Milwaukee

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

·walk score®

94/100

4% lower than Milwaukee

vs 98/100 in Milwaukee

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

70% fewer than Milwaukee

vs 30 nonstops in Milwaukee

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