same $100k income, fresh start from Portland

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

from portland

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

$649

under Portland, every month

Not a fortune, but real money. Roanoke runs cheaper than Portland month over month.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

22% cheaper than Portland(vs $1,781/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$250/mo less in state tax than Portland

vs 8.75% in Portland

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$649 more than Portland

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

04a house here

$296k

47% cheaper than Portland

vs $562k in Portland

05metro size

314k

vs 2.5M in Portland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

Portland barely cracks 178 pleasant ones.

Lighter on events: Portland packs 10.3× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

21% lower than Portland

vs 87/100 in Portland

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

·walk score®

94/100

6% lower than Portland

vs 100/100 in Portland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

84% fewer than Portland

vs 57 nonstops in Portland

04 · see also

cities that play in roanoke's register:

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