CostIndexUSA

Roanoke, VA vs Scranton, PA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostVA
Roanoke
93.6
overall index
$1,350/mo rent
PA
Scranton
93.6
overall index
$1,325/mo rent

Roanoke and Scranton have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing14.6%
Roanoke
78.5
Scranton
67
🛒 Groceries+4.0%
Roanoke
96.8
Scranton
100.7
🚗 Transportation0.9%
Roanoke
103.5
Scranton
102.6
🏥 Healthcare1.0%
Roanoke
93.7
Scranton
92.8
Utilities+19.8%
Roanoke
88.9
Scranton
106.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Roanoke to see what you'd need to earn in Scranton to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Scranton, PA
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (93.6 ÷ 93.6) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Roanoke, VA

Median Home Price
$287,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Housing Index
78.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.7×

Scranton, PA

Median Home Price
$220,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,325
Housing Index
67
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.8×

Roanoke has 14.6% lower housing costs compared to Scranton.

Income & Job Market

Roanoke, VA

Median Household Income
$65,500
Per Capita Income
$37,300
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
99,394
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingRetailFinanceGovernment

Scranton, PA

Median Household Income
$58,800
Per Capita Income
$33,500
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
76,997
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingEducationGovernmentRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Roanoke, VA
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Scranton, PA
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.