same $100k income, fresh start from San Diego

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Roanoke, VA cityscape

if you left san diego

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

$1,804

cheaper each month than San Diego

Roanoke sits well below San Diego on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

52% cheaper than San Diego(vs $2,890/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$296/mo less in state tax than San Diego

vs 9.3% in San Diego

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$1,804 more than San Diego

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

04a house here

$296k

71% cheaper than San Diego

vs $1010k in San Diego

05metro size

314k

vs 3.3M in San Diego

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

San Diego edges ahead with 332 pleasant days.

But the calendar thins out: San Diego stays 14.5× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

8% lower than San Diego

vs 75/100 in San Diego

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

·walk score®

94/100

5% lower than San Diego

vs 99/100 in San Diego

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

84% fewer than San Diego

vs 55 nonstops in San Diego

04 · see also

neighbors of roanoke on the map of tradeoffs:

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