with $100k coming in, swapping out of St. Louis

change
Roanoke, VA cityscape

instead of st. louis

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

$59

more expensive each month than St. Louis

A small premium for Roanoke. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
landable, recorded on the roanoke entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,382/mo

2% cheaper than St. Louis(vs $1,411/mo)

02state income tax

5.75%

$88/mo more in state tax than St. Louis

vs 4.7% in St. Louis

03after rent

$6,472/mo

$59 less than St. Louis

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

04a house here

$296k

7% more expensive than St. Louis

vs $277k in St. Louis

05metro size

314k

vs 2.8M in St. Louis

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

179

pleasant days a year, in roanoke.

St. Louis only manages 174 of those.

St. Louis hosts 6.7× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

69/100

1% higher than St. Louis

vs 68/100 in St. Louis

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

·walk score®

94/100

8% higher than St. Louis

vs 87/100 in St. Louis

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

9

85% fewer than St. Louis

vs 60 nonstops in St. Louis

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