$100k a year, no longer in Pittsburgh

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

swapping out of pittsburgh

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

$133

the monthly cost of moving past Pittsburgh

Almost a wash on cost. The case for Roanoke is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

6% cheaper than Pittsburgh(vs $1,473/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$223/mo more in state tax than Pittsburgh

vs 3.07% in Pittsburgh

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$133 less than Pittsburgh

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

04a house here

$296k

33% more expensive than Pittsburgh

vs $223k in Pittsburgh

05metro size

314k

vs 2.4M in Pittsburgh

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Pittsburgh barely cracks 161 pleasant ones.

85% fewer events than Pittsburgh. The pace eases up.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

0% lower than Pittsburgh

vs 69/100 in Pittsburgh

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

·walk score®

94/100

5% lower than Pittsburgh

vs 99/100 in Pittsburgh

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

76% fewer than Pittsburgh

vs 37 nonstops in Pittsburgh

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