Roanoke vs Salem
Roanoke, Virginia versus Salem, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Roanoke and Salem score about the same overall (52 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Roanoke | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $46k |
| Home Value | $162k | $232k |
| Monthly Rent | $917 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.06% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.02% | 10.95% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 38°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.8 in | 46.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.8 in | 14.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 31.5 | 56.1 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.7 | 59.5 |
| Violent Crime | 3445/100k | 1265/100k |
| Property Crime | 4301/100k | 1728/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 99,213 | 25,372 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 40.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+26 | R+20 |
| White (%) | 57.0% | 83.5% |
| Black (%) | 28.7% | 7.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.9% | 3.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 14.5/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 116 mi | 120 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.3% | 86.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.54 | 29.17 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Roanoke or Salem more affordable?
- Roanoke has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Roanoke's $43k and Salem's $46k. Median rent is $917 in Roanoke versus $1k in Salem.
- Is Roanoke or Salem safer?
- Salem has the lower violent crime rate. Roanoke reports 3445/100k and Salem reports 1265/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Roanoke or Salem?
- The median home value is $162k in Roanoke and $232k in Salem, so homes are more affordable in Roanoke.