City comparison
Austin, TX vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 5.9% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $105,900 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Knoxville, TN ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,395 in Knoxville | $105,938 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
87 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Austin → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $61,980 | $65,661 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $121,750 | $128,980 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $75,380 | $79,856 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $77,240 | $81,827 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.