Helpers--Carpenters Salary
In Roanoke, VA, helpers--carpenters earn $43,330 at the median, or about $20.83 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.62), which stretches that salary to about $46,283 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,254/month, about 42.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Roanoke?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Roanoke’s Regional Price Parity (93.62). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About helpers--carpenters
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What this looks like in Roanoke
Helpers--carpenters pay in Roanoke tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,254/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.62 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for helpers--carpenters in metros near Roanoke, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $47K | $48K |
| Richmond | $43K | $44K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $42K | $43K |
| Lynchburg | $40K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Roanoke, VA
Entry-level helpers--carpenters (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Helpers--Carpenters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $58K | +33% | N/A |
| Colorado | $51K | +16% | 200 |
| Connecticut | $50K | +15% | 200 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +15% | N/A |
| Maine | $50K | +14% | 160 |
| California | $50K | +14% | 2,670 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +10% | 630 |
| New York | $48K | +9% | 1,110 |
| Arkansas | $47K | +7% | 100 |
| Washington | $46K | +5% | 620 |
| Illinois | $46K | +4% | N/A |
| Michigan | $45K | +3% | 230 |
| Ohio | $45K | +2% | 540 |
| Vermont | $45K | +2% | 200 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +2% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $44K | +1% | 840 |
| Texas | $44K | +0% | 2,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | +0% | 560 |
| Virginia | $44K | -0% | 1,200 |
| Oregon | $43K | -1% | 220 |
| Indiana | $43K | -2% | 160 |
| Montana | $43K | -3% | N/A |
| Idaho | $42K | -4% | N/A |
| Arizona | $42K | -5% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $41K | -7% | 860 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -7% | 650 |
| Florida | $40K | -8% | 2,120 |
| Georgia | $40K | -8% | 410 |
| Iowa | $40K | -9% | 100 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -9% | 440 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -9% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | -10% | 150 |
| Maryland | $39K | -10% | 580 |
| Alaska | $39K | -10% | 90 |
| Alabama | $39K | -11% | 410 |
| Kansas | $38K | -13% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -13% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -15% | 50 |
| Nevada | $36K | -17% | 540 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -18% | 200 |
| Utah | $36K | -18% | 330 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -19% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $35K | -19% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -21% | 330 |
| Delaware | $34K | -23% | 190 |
| West Virginia | $34K | -23% | 320 |
| Missouri | $32K | -26% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track helpers--carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Roanoke numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Roanoke?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,254/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--carpenters in Roanoke?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--carpenters typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,682/month. At HUD’s $1,254/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is helpers--carpenter a high-paying job in Roanoke?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Roanoke compare to the national average for helpers--carpenters?
Roanoke pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.62), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--carpenters make in Roanoke, VA?
The median is $43,330 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,040, and experienced helpers--carpenters can clear $53,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Roanoke?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,907/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,254/month, which eats 43.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a helpers--carpenters salary go in Roanoke?
Roanoke has a Regional Price Parity of 93.62 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median helpers--carpenters salary is worth about $46,283 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do helpers--carpenters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.